


Omega and Dragon

by TheDuckEmperor



Category: One Piece, Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: ...just saying, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, But I think you already noticed, Character Bashing, EXTREMELY SLOW UPDATES, I mean it, M/M, Manga as main source, Not Beta Read, Not entirely accurate science and technology, OCs are not main characters, One Piece official language is Japanese, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Out of character characters, Slow Build, Slow Romance, Sorry Not Sorry, but either they will be killed off or forgotten forever, some aspects from anime, there will be mentioning of their appearance or their behavior, with some english words...
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-26
Updated: 2019-03-11
Packaged: 2019-03-24 10:39:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 37,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13809465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheDuckEmperor/pseuds/TheDuckEmperor
Summary: When Zoro was tossed, Bartholomew Kuma made mistake and Mugiwara's Firstmate was send flying in different direction than he intended. How this small, at first glance, meaningless fault can change the fate of green haired first mate of Straw Hat Pirates?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello readers \\(° U °)/  
> This is my first time posting on AO3. And also first time writing something romantic. I hope you will find it acceptable.  
> Note: I do not have a beta reader, so I apologise in advance for any grammar mistake  
> Disclaimer: I do NOT own Overwatch neither One Piece. Overwatch belongs to Blizzard and One Piece to Oda Eiichiro

It has been some time since Roronoa Zoro was sent flying by Bartholomew Kuma, the Shichibukai. Swordsman woke up few times during his flight, but after two or three minutes, he fell back to unconsciousness. His wounds were severe, although, he didn’t care.

But there was feeling he did care about. In his chest, the guilt was growing. Guilt and shame. Shame that he couldn’t protect his nakama, his crew, his family. He was so weak, that he couldn’t do anything. Not even when he used Asura, he caused hardly any damage to cyborg. Damn marines. Damn Shichibukai. Damn Tenryuubito. Damn everyone.

It didn’t matter, that others called him a monster or beast. He was, is and always will be weak. Just as his father said: “No matter how much you will train, out there, you will be always viewed as insect by others.” That was true. Compared to his father and his underlings, Zoro was an insect. Fragile and faint as butterfly. And equally weak.

It was something, Zoro furiously tried to change. He trained like mad, lifting weights multiple times heavier than a small elephant. But nothing helped. He was as pathetically weak as before. His training rewarded him with muscles, but his body was still effeminate, slender and petite. Despite being the third tallest member of Straw Hat pirates, right after Franky and Brook but compared to his father’s enormous height, he was small.

Zoro remembered snickers, insults, threats and beatings from his father’s crew. Disappointed yet worried glares from his father. Pitying looks from his mother. Even though both of his parents tried to protect him from the outside world, their harsh demeanour made it difficult. They couldn’t express their love for him the same way as other parents. Satisfaction with his behaviour and performance was rewarded with a nod and dissatisfaction was threatened with slap or scold.

But, there was one person, who expressed love to him. That person was like sibling Zoro never had. Swordsman could only remember fragments about this person. He didn’t remember their face, but sometimes, he could hear distant voice in back of his head. “My dear little brother. My dear Zoro,” the voice being gentle and calming was echoing in his head.

As Zoro flew, his trajectory started dropping. With unchanged speed, he rushed towards the unknown destination. He flew over snowy peaks and small villages under the snow. Before the crash, Zoro felt slicing pain in his legs, and then he blacked out. As he landed on the rocky surface, the sound of rumbling caught attention of group of people in nearest monastery.

 

* * *

 

Zenyatta was trying to cease a fight, that started from a mere insult towards his person. Heroes of Overwatch and ones that did not associate with an organization were invited into old monastery of Shambali monks. And of course, among them were those, who hated and did not trust omnics, therefore Zenyatta.

The one who started all that squabble, was Zarya. Zenyatta personally didn’t care, if he was or wasn’t insulted, but there was one person, that was very protective of omnic monk. Shimada Genji, the cyborg ninja, which Zenyatta had taken as a student, despite the Japanese man being older than his master. As soon as hateful words left Zarya’s mouth, Genji snapped and insulted the Russian heavy lifter.

“Please, stop this, you two. It’s not worthy of your time,” Zenyatta pleaded with a sincere voice.

“Shut up, omnic!” Zarya growled at monk, which made Genji more furious.

Suddenly, something flew over their heads and few seconds afterwards, loud rumbling was heard. Zenyatta sensed strange aura leaking from a place, where an unknown object landed. Not caring for other’s shouts after him, monk levitated to that crash as fast as he could.

When he arrived to smoking area, first thing he noticed was the hole in shape of a paw. “Such strange shape,” he muttered. Omnic got closer to the hole and gasped. In middle of the crater was a human, surely unconscious. The human’s body was marred with scars, some of them were old, like on his chest, but most were fresh. Zenyatta sent a Harmony orb to heal minor wounds and to prevent any of major injuries to worsen. Then, monk noticed that the person’s legs were cut off from knees down. The cuts weren´t symmetrical. Left leg was cut off in the middle of the calf and right leg just below the knee.

“I’m very sorry,” Zenyatta said before he lifted human and slowly levitated back to the temple.

 

“Master! What happened?! You left so quickly that I…” Genji was shooting questions at his teacher as soon as Zenyatta returned.

“Genji, please, calm down. I found this human in a very peculiar crater,” he said as he showed the person to others.

In monk’s hands was young man, around Hana’s age. The boy was pale, which was caused by bloodloss. He has many scars, most of them were fresh, but one prominent was the one crossing his chest from left shoulder to right hip. The boy had green hair, which others thought, were dyed.

“His legs…” Mercy, also known as Angela, started, but Zenyatta shook his head. “I found him without them. But cuts were fresh, so I think, that he lost them just before the crash. His wounds were bleeding profoundly, it needed to be healed immediately.”

“I understand. We will need prepare when he wakes up. He will surely go into shock,” Mercy said, “but for now, let’s get him to the infirmary.”

Everyone nodded, prepared to leave, but Morrison bugged in. “We should check that crater, Zenyatta mentioned. There could be some evidence, where this guy came from.”

“Seriously, Jack?” Mercy asked angrily, “Last thing he needs, is to be treated like a prisoner. You will have time to nicely ask him that, after he wakes up and settles down. And based by his wound, he is not going to wake up any time soon.”

The soldier growled and said, “Whatever. I’ll go check that place alone, even if you don’t want to.”

And he left.

 

* * *

 

With their patient in infirmary, medics and some of others heroes grouped in lobby, waiting for Jack Morrison to come back. About fifteen minutes later, Soldier:76 came back, with something in his arms.

“Welcome back, Jack,” Winston greeted him, “did you find something helpful?”

“Actually, yes. There were swords scattered around the crater. I bet, that they belong to our…quest. And I think, that Shimada brothers will be able to tell us more about them,” he said gruffly.

He put the swords on the table, showing them to others. Genji whistled, while Hanzo nodded with a slightly surprised look on his face.

“Wow. Those are some good quality katanas,” said ninja cyborg. “Boy must be a swordsman.”

“Swordsman?” Angela asked.

“Hai,” agreed older Shimada. “Quite rare to be one these days. Don´t take it as an insult, Genji,” he quickly added, when he saw his brother take a deep breath.

“I wasn’t going to do anything!” cyborg protested. “But seriously, those katanas are real deal. Nice quality, boy took good care of them.” Then he lifted one sword after another. “They are quite heavy…”

“Why does he have three of them?” Jack interrupted.

“I don’t know, Captain. Maybe one is spare.”

“I don’t think so,” Hanzo said, making Morrison frown. “How do you know that?”

“The white katana has teeth marks. I think, that the boy holds that one in his mouth and the others in his hands” bow wielder stated.

McCree started to laugh. “You really can’t be serious! In his mouth? Even when Genji said that they are heavy?”

“We will see,” was all older Shimada said.

 

* * *

 

When Zoro came back to consciousness, first thing he noticed was constant beeping. He groaned, still half asleep, he tried to move, only to find, that his whole body screamed in pain. The speed of beeping quickened and it was getting annoying. He tried to swat anything, that was making this stupid noise.

Unbeknown to him, his sudden movement started an alarm in the lobby. Few seconds later, two people rushed inside.

Zoro opened his eyes, but was blinded by a harsh white light. He groaned, quickly closing eyes, hoping that white light disappears.

“Miss Ziegler, I think, we should dim the light. It will be easier for him,” metal sounding voice said. _´It’s strange sounding, but definitely, it’s a male voice,´_ Zoro thought.

“Of course, Zenyatta,” a female voice said. “Try to open your eyes now. We dimmed lights, it won’t be so painful.”

Even though he couldn’t understand what they were saying, Zoro slowly opened his eyes, noticing that it was a lot easier. He blinked a few times, to wipe sleepiness from his face. Now he could clearly see two other persons in the room.

One of them was a woman. She had blonde hair held in a ponytail. Her blue eyes showed years of experience, and small wrinkles around them, revealed that she was a tad older, than most would guess. She wore a white coat, that doctors had.

Second person was far more eye-catching. Their whole body was made of metal plates, pistons, screws and other stuff, Zoro had no idea what it was. On his face were two slits, slightly dropped, creating a calm look. On their forehead were nine dots, in shape of a square. According to Zoro, dots were very familiar, but he couldn’t remember why. Person was clad in baggy yellow pants with red rope like belt and white cloth over it. What was even more interesting, they were levitating.

 _´I must be in an infirmary or a hospital. And these two must be doctors, ´_ Zoro thought.

“My name is Angela. Over there is Zenyatta, he found you,” the female doctor introduced herself and the other one.

He had no idea what she said, only words he could understand were from Angela and Zenyatta, which must have been their names. Swordsman tried to say something, but his throat was very dry to make even the smallest sound.

“Your throat must be dry. Here, have some water,” the one named Zenyatta gave him a glass of water.

The green haired boy gladly took it and drank it all.

“ **Thank you very much. Can you tell me where I am?** ” he asked.

Both medics looked at each other.

“Is that Japanese?” blonde asked her companion.

“I believe so. Unfortunately, I don’t have installed Japanese mode in my processor. I will need to upgrade it. We should call Genji or Hanzo. Both of them will help,” metal medic said.

“Good idea, Zenyatta,” Angela agreed.

 

* * *

 

After the alarm was set and Mercy and Zenyatta left to look at their patient, Hanzo sat with his brother in the lobby. He was still nervous around Genji. The horrifying images of them fighting each other, replayed in his head. He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth.

“You are thinking about that night, aren’t you, brother?” Genji suddenly asked.

“What?! No!!” Hanzo quickly denied. Cyborg chuckled, “You really can’t lie to me, Hanzo. You were thinking about it,” he stated.

The archer looked away.

Before either of them could say anything more, Omnic monk reappeared in the lobby.

“Genji, Hanzo. We will need your help with our patient,” he calmly said.

“Why, master?”

“Language barrier. He seems to speak Japanese. And seeing you two are Japanese, you could help us communicate with him,” monk explained.

“Of course, we will help!” Genji shouted happily. Hanzo just grumbled something, with a small nod.

They quickly went into the medical wing. As they were nearing the room where their quest was, they heard the shouting.

“ **What happened to my legs?!** ” a distressed voice shouted.

Both Shimada brothers could recognize the language as their native.

“Please, calm yourself! Or you will only hurt yourself even more!” now it was Angela´s turn to shout.

The trio opened the door to a rather amusing scene.

Angela had her Caduceus Staff in her hands, aiming at the green haired boy as he, on all four, tried to reach her from the bed, he had been laying in.

Genji started laughing, Zenyatta just chuckled and came to bed to calm their patient and Hanzo just stared.

“ **I will ask again, what happened to my legs??!** ” boy yelled yet again.

“ **When Zenyatta-san found you, your legs were already severed from your body. They weren’t anywhere near you, and wounds on your body were bleeding rather strongly. After he healed your minor wounds, he noticed that you didn’t have legs,** ” Hanzo said with a firm voice.

The boy turned to him and Hanzo froze. He was looking into the most beautiful eyes he ever saw. Shining silver bore into his own ebony black. Not only him, but also his dragons felt something radiating from the green haired boy. He wasn’t sure what it was, but it was calling him. Luring him. Trying to make his instinct rule over his body. But he didn’t let it.

“ **What’s your name? We can’t just keep calling you ´boy´ or ´you´,** ” he asked.

“ **My name is Zoro. Who are you? Where am I?** ” the boy, now named Zoro, questioned.

“ **I’m Genji. the one who spoke to you before, was my brother Hanzo. The Lady in this room is Angela, also known as Mercy. Next to you is Zenyatta. We are in Shambali monastery, in Nepal,** ” the cyborg ninja said.

“ **Oh,** ” was all Zoro said, while looking little confused.

The silence filled the room, until Angela spoke.

“It’s unbelievable, how fast he came to consciousness. He was asleep just for one day. Any other person, with wounds like that, would be in a coma for more than a week. Yesterday he was so close to death and now, he is so lively,” she wondered.

“You are right, doctor Ziegler,” the monk agreed.

“ **Where are my swords? Did you find them?** ” the boy on bed asked quietly.

“ **I will go get them,** ” Genji said and dashed out of room.

A minute later, he was back, carrying three swords in his hands. As soon as Zoro saw them, he started to reach out for them.

“ **Easy there, tiger,** ” the cyborg ninja laughed as he had given katanas to the boy.

“ **Thank you,** ” Zoro said quietly and took them from smiling man.

He cradled them, feeling secure and safe.

“ **We will leave you for now. You need rest, enough of sleep and calm,** ” Hanzo said.

Zoro just made a small nod, cradling his swords near his body and laying on the bed.

“We should leave, doctor Ziegler. For now,” Genji said.

In five minutes, Zoro was left alone in the room.

 _´Such nice people…´_ was the last thought before he fell asleep.

 

“So, what did you get from him?” the soldier asked as soon as group of four came from the medical wing.

“Jack, seriously?” Angela scolded. “We got his name, which is Zoro. And no, we couldn’t interrogate him when he just woke up. And on top of that, he was in shock when he saw that his legs were gone. Putting him under more pressure would only cause more damage.”

“Did you notice something strange about him? The way he spoke? Moved? Act? Anything?” Jack continued.

Hanzo shifted, crossed arms and grimaced.

“Aniki?” younger Shimada softly asked, making everyone look at his brother.

“Did you find something? What it is?” archer sighted.

“I can’t say, that I found something about him,” he said, noticing Soldier’s tense stature. “But I sensed something coming from him.”

“Coming from him? What do you mean?” it was McCree, who asked.

“I mean, when I made eye contact with the boy, I sensed like something was calling me. It was radiating from his self, it wanted me to lose control.”

“Do you think he was doing it intentionally?” Jack asked.

“No. He was more concerned about his legs than making me lose control. I think it was subconscious,” Hanzo shook his head.

“By saying ´wanting you to lose control´ what did you mean? Because I sensed it too. And if you mean what I think you mean, then we have a little problem here,” Genji said.

“It’s more than just a little problem,” older Shimada closed eyes. “And I think we won’t be the only ones, that will have problems with it, brother. I can count other two people, who will be also affected.”

“What are you talking about? I don’t understand,” Angela asked. “And who will be affected?”

“I suppose that you should take a sample of his blood. And people, who will be surely under this phenomenon, are Soldier, McCree and……I could say Reyes too,” cyborg ninja said.

“And by saying ´wanting you to lose control´ you meant what?” McCree questioned.

“By that, we meant……to have intercourse with him…” Hanzo mumbled, but everyone heard him.

“You are kidding…” cowboy gasped.

“Have intercourse with him…” whispered blonde medic. “And it would affect Jack, Jesse, Genji, Hanzo and Gabriel. Jack and Gabriel are genetically upgraded, McCree…I don’t know, Genji and Hanzo have their dragons…they sensed it…nose…intercourse…”

“Did you say something, doctor Ziegler?” Zenyatta nicely asked.

“Excuse me for a moment,” she said as she exited the room.

“I think she is going to our patient,” younger Shimada stated.

Others just nodded.

 

* * *

 

Just like Genji said, Angela hurried to the medical bay. What Japanese brothers said made her mind racing with a hypothesis. And a suggestion to take sample of patients’ blood was key.

She came to the room and entered a code so the door could slide open. As she entered, she could see their quest sleeping in bed with his swords neatly stored beside him. The covers were in disarray, nearly falling from bed. Angela softly smiled at the sight. Quietly came to the bedside, covering boy with a duvet. He frowned as she moved his arms out under the blanket.

Then she took out one syringe from her lab coat. She hesitated, wondering if she should wake the boy up or just take a sample of his blood. She sighed and shook Zoro a little.

“Zoro, please wake up. Zoro?” she softly said.

He immediately opened his eyes, scaring doctor as he quickly sat on the bed.

“ **Yes?** ” he asked.

Angela was quiet for a few moments, trying to remember the words Genji taught her when he was part of Overwatch.

“ **Oh…Blood…here…** ” she said in a heavily accented Japanese as she showed him a syringe.

Zoro looked at the syringe in the doctor’s hand, then at her. Slowly he understood what she wanted.

“ **Here,** ” he said as he showed her his left arm.

She smiled as she took the arm and wrapped a band just above the elbow and tightly fastened it. Then she made pumping motion with her left arm, motioning to Zoro to copy it. He got it quickly and repeated the motion. When Angela though it was enough, she stopped him, grabbed his arm, disinfected place where needle would pierce the skin. Then she took the syringe and carefully pierced the skin and vein. After a few seconds small tube was filled with blood and everything was over. After Angela removed the needle and put a bandage on pierced place, she gave the boy a few pieces of chocolate, gesturing him to eat them.

“ **I don’t like chocolate,** ” Zoro said.

But now she looked like she didn’t even hear him, just gestured him to eat chocolate.

“ **I don’t want to. I don’t like chocolate. It’s too sweet,** ” boy protested, crossing his arms.

Angela was still smiling, but now Zoro could feel that something was different. Her smile was sending chills down his spine. Yet, he still didn’t eat any of pieces she gave him.

The doctor was getting angry. No one, no one ever refused _original swiss chocolate_. The best kind of chocolate. Yet this boy was stubbornly refusing to eat it, even though it could help with possible dizziness he could feel after his blood was taken.

“Eat,” she said in strict voice.

When Zoro didn’t even budge, Angela took one piece from his hand, unwrapped it and she shoved it into the boy’s mouth. He looked at her gobsmacked. But didn’t do anything, too mesmerized by the taste of chocolate. It was delicious. It wasn’t too sweet, no. It had bitter undertone, pleasing his buds. It was extremely different from ero-cook’s chocolate. His was too sweet, with fruity undertones, specially made for girls in crew. Chocolate that the doctor gave him was perfect. Not too sweet, no fruity tastes, just pure chocolate with high percentage of cocoa. Even though he wasn’t a big fan of chocolate and other sweet things, he could imagine eating these more often.

While Zoro was munching on chocolate, Angela could only watch her patient with a content smile. She could easily say, that their quest was enjoying his treat, by looking at his cheerful face.

“I will go now, okay?” she said, knowing that he didn’t understand her.

He looked up at her, catching her waving at him, so he automatically waved back. Then she stood up and left the room.

 

* * *

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello readers \\(° U °)/  
> I will try posting as fast as possible. I hope you will like the chapter.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do NOT own Overwatch neither One Piece. Overwatch belongs to Blizzard and One Piece to Oda Eiichiro

Next day, the group of heroes were sitting in a meeting room looking at Angela, waiting for the news she got from sample of blood.

“So, where to start. There was some information I got from his blood, but lot of it I don’t understand,” she said. “I think I will start with his blood group. We won´t have any problems with donating blood to him if some accident happens. He is AB positive, so universal receiver. Now about the problem Shimada brothers were talking about. What I found in his blood was abnormally high number of pheromones, which are emitted only by women. Or more likely by female wolves or dogs, when they are ready to have cubs…”

“That doesn’t make any sense…” McCree started.

“I know, Jesse, but it’s not impossible for man to have female pheromones. However, the amount of it is what I don’t understand. It’s just too high,” she sighed.

“I can speak with him. He may know about it,” Zenyatta pipped.

“Do you need me to go with you, sensei?” Genji hopefully asked.

“No need, Genji. I downloaded a Japanese mode, so there won’t be any language barrier.”

“Ah,” ninja cyborg deflated.

“You would do that for us? Thank you,” Angela smiled.

“No worries, doctor Ziegler.”

 

* * *

 

Zoro was sitting in bed. What else he could do without legs? To be honest, he was bored. But unlike when he was injured on Going Merry or Sunny Go, he always left medical bay and went to train, here he could not. Theoretically, he could crawl out of the room, but he was sure, that the female doctor would be able to track him down and tie him on the bed. No, he surely didn’t want to anger this woman. She was different from a witch or an archaeologist.

**“Greetings, Zoro. I hope that you had a calm night,”** a metallic voice said.

The green haired boy turned and met the face of a robotic person from yesterday. He was a little bit startled by how quietly Zenyatta came. But hey, he was hovering a meter or so above the ground.

**“I’m sorry if I startled you. I should have knocked to inform you,”** the monk said.

**“Ah, it’s okay. How come you can fluently speak my language? Yesterday, neither you or blonde woman couldn’t understand me,”** Zoro asked. **“Does she speak my language too?”**

**“No, she can’t. I can, because I’m not human. I’m Omnic, human made machine with subconsciousness and emotions. But most humans think we can’t feel anything or that we are just following our programming…”**

**“That’s incredible. It’s like your body is a vessel, that binds wandering spirit. And that spirit is now living its second life,”** the boy gasped. **“Wait! You said us. Does that mean there are more of Omnics?”**

**“You are the first one with theory like that. I never thought about it like you did. And yes, there is more or my kind. In this very moment my brothers and sisters are doing their duties as monk of this shrine,”** Zenyatta hummed. **“But I came here for a different reason. Doctor Ziegler found some anomalies in the sample of your blood.”**

Zoro tensed. He knew, that they would have found it eventually. He was ready to protect himself. He will fight before they throw him into a brothel.

**“Can you explain it to me?”**

**“W-wait. You mean, that you don’t know. Don’t know what I am?”** the boy was shocked.

**“No, I don’t. Is there a specific name for your genetic anomaly? Or is there some other reason why your blood has high percentage of female pheromones.”** Zenyatta asked in sincere voice.

**“…Do you know…meaning of the word Alpha...or Beta…or Omega?”** the boy asked in a cautious voice.

**“Alpha, Beta and Omega three of twenty-four letters in Greek alphabet. Letter Alpha can also mean a beginning while letter Omega means an ending. In normal speech, Alpha refers to a leader, dominant individual. In fauna, Alpha is the head animal in a pack. These Greek letters can be also used in mathematics…Oh, I’m sorry for my rambling,”** monk stopped himself when he noticed Zoro’s confused look. **“Aside from that, I do not know other meanings of these three letters. Perhaps, you could tell me?”**

**“C-can you promise me, you won’t…won’t be disgusted?”** the green haired swordsman quietly asked.

Zenyatta could feel fear rising in his patient. He sat next to the boy and took boy’s hands, and squeezed them lightly.

**“I promise I won’t judge you,”** he said in a calming tone.

**“Alpha, Beta…and Omega…are terms for the secondary gender…and social status…Al-Alphas are the most dominant…respected, be it man or woman, Betas are normal…and O-o-omegas are the lowest… under both Alphas and Betas…I…I…”** Zoro couldn’t continue, his voice cracking, his hands shaking violently.

**“Shhh. There is nothing wrong. Nobody is going to hurt you. Shhh. We can take a different approach. I will ask questions and you will just nod or shake your head, ok? Take your time, we have a lot of time,”** the Omnic monk’s voice was soothing Zoro’s nerves. **“Tell me when you are ready, ok?”**

Zoro nodded, his hands still lightly squeezed in pleasantly cold metallic ones.

 

 

They stayed like that for an hour or so, before the young man said they could continue.

**“Alright, Zoro. Before I will start with yes and no questions, can you tell me, what is the ratio of Alpha, Beta and Omega groups?”**

**“Betas are the most of the world, eighty percent, Alphas are fifteen percent and Omegas are just five percent.”**

**“Thank you. Now, aside from social status, you also mentioned secondary gender. Does it mean, it has importance in biology of the body?”**

Zoro nodded.

**“Does it change the body in some way?”**

Nod.

**“This change, is it there from the beginning? Since one is born?”**

Shake.

**“Then, the change is developing during one’s life? Or is there a certain age when it develops?”**

**“The second one.”**

**“Hmm. It develops at a certain age. Is it like puberty?”**

Nod.

**“Is this change same for everyone? I mean, everyone develops same type of change?”**

Shake.

**“Each group has its own change?”**

Nod. Then shake. Then shrug.

**“One of the groups doesn’t change. This group…are they Betas?”**

Nod.

**“So that means only Alphas and Omegas change. This change, let’s say in Alpha group, is it the same for both girls and boys?”**

Nod.

**“So that means, girls and boys in the Omega group have the same change when they hit the age. After the change, are both girls and boys treated the same?”**

Shake.

**“Can you explain why?”**

**“In the Alpha group, they are treated the same…in the omega group however…”** Zoro went silent.

**“Shh, it’s alright. I will continue with questions, you just nod or shake, ok?”**

Green haired swordsman nodded.

**“In the Omega group, are boys the discriminated ones?”**

Shaky nod.

**“Are they discriminated because they can do what males from other two groups can’t?”**

Nod.

**“Are they able to conceive a child? Is that why they are looked down on?”**

Two short nods.

**“Zoro…Are you an Omega?”**

Tensed shoulders gave Zenyatta the answer.

Zoro set his eyes on the ground. He waited for a disgusted sound. Anything that would describe repugnance. But nothing came. Warily, he looked up at Omnic face. True, he couldn’t see the expression, but he could feel calm presence around the monk.

**“You shouldn’t be ashamed of your body. Don’t let others opinion change you. Embrace who you are. You’re unique, be proud of that. You are amazing,”** Zenyatta said with a powerful voice.

Zoro was shocked. He never met someone who wouldn’t humiliate omega in some way. Even supporters weren’t this nice. He never revealed that he himself was an Omega, but from time to time he asked people what was their opinion on male omegas. Ninety-nine times from hundred, the answers were, those poor boys are sluts from the day they are born, or wish for their disappearance. The sympathy for male Omegas was very rare, and even supporters thought that men being pregnant is unnatural. But here, before him, cradling his hands, sat a person that was amazed by this ability to bear children. Even encouraging him to be himself, be proud of his self. Tears wettened his cheeks, as he covered his mouth.

**“Oh…Did I say something wrong? Did I upset you?”** the monk asked with a worried voice.

The young swordsman shook his head, **“No. No. You just said the nicest thing about me since someone who used to long time ago,”** he wiped. **“I don’t remember what was his name, but I know he was a sibling to me.”**

**“They must have been amazing person, for sure. Do you think they are still out there?”** Zenyatta asked with pure curiosity.

**“No, they are no longer with us,”** Zoro said quietly. **“I don’t know how, but I know they had passed away.”**

**“I’m sorry to hear it. They are part of Iris now…”** the monk sincerely said.

**“Wait! What did you say?”**

**“Iris?”**

**“Yes! I heard it before! The person, the one that was like a sibling to me, they were also using that word when they talked…those dots on your forehead! I knew they were familiar! My sibling had the same!”**

**“Maybe meditation can reveal more of your past. But for now, you rest. I was here for too long, and you need food. Doctor Ziegler will be mad at me for delaying your meal. Thank you for your time, Zoro. I will see you next time,”** Zenyatta said with a cheery voice.

He got off the bed, letting Zoro to comfortably laid on bed. Omnic helped get covers on him, then he proceeded his way to the door.

**“Goodbye,”** he said.

**“See you soon,”** Zoro answered.

 

* * *

 

As Zenyatta was slowly returning to others, he thought about what he discovered. It was a miracle, it was beautiful and it was amazing. ´Iris gifted this boy. Is part of this boy. The presence I feel radiating from him is the same as the one I feel when I’m in transcendence. Is it possible that his sibling was Shambali monk? From where else he could got the name of Iris?´

“Zenyatta-san, you have returned,” Hanzo called, stopping monk in his thoughts. “How is he?”

“Hanzo. He is all right. Little shaken about some things that were needed to be said, but otherwise fine. You could bring him a meal. I made him miss his breakfast and now it is time of lunch. He shouldn’t wait any longer. Are you all right with it?” Omnic monk asked older Shimada.

“Of course. I will go right now. You should go to miss Ziegler. She is awaiting you.”

“Thank you for the information. We will see each other later.”

 

* * *

 

Mercy was waiting for the young monk. She knew that getting information wasn’t easy, and asking the patient questions right after he woke up is only going to make it twice as difficult. She heard a knock.

“Zenyatta! You are back!” she called. “Was the boy awake?”

“Yes, doctor Ziegler, he was. And before you ask, yes, I got some information out of him. But before I tell them to you, promise me, that you won´t judge him.”

“Zenyatta, I´m professional doctor. I can not judge people. I must help them. Don´t worry,” she said. “Now, what have you discovered?”

“It´s little complicated, so I will start from beginning…”

 

* * *

 

Meanwhile, Hanzo was caring tray full of nutritious food, that was meant for their quest. Once he arrived to the room where boy was resting. He knocked and waited. When he heard muffled **“Yes?”** , he entered.

**“I brought you a meal. Zenyatta told me that you hadn´t eat anything yet,”** Shimada said.

Zoro sat up from his laying position, motioning Hanzo, that he can enter.

**“How are you feeling?”** bowman asked.

**“I´m fine. My legs don´t hurt,”** boy said as he took food tray.

**“You are bored. You are not one of those who peacefully stay in bed while recovering?”**

**“You seem to be too much of calm type to know so much about it.”**

**“I have younger brother. When he was little he was like that. Couldn´t stay in bed for more than ten** **minutes,”** Hanzo sighted.

There was moment of silence.

**“How long did you wait to get those?”** Zoro asked as he pointed at metallic appendages in place of Hanzo´s shins and feet.

**“Oh these? These are not protheses,”** Hanzo said.

**“How are they not fake? Your ankles are so slim.”**

**“You don´t believe me?”** Shimada asked with smirk.

**“I will believe, when I see it,”** boy answered with grin.

**“You cheeky little thing,”** Hanzo laughed. **“Eat before it gets cold.”**

With smile, Zoro took a bite of his lunch. It wasn´t much, just rice with fried tofu and vegetables, but it was delicious. Simple. And Zoro liked simple things. Soon he was stuffing his cheeks with food, making them bulge. Which made him look like big green haired hamster.

Hanzo snorted.

**“What?”**

**“Oh nothing. I just remembered something about my brother,”** archer quickly said.

Zoro shrugged and continued finishing his meal. After few bites, it was gone.

**“It was good. Very good,”** boy said licking his thumb.

**“I will tell monks. They will be happy,”** Hanzo stood up and took platter. **“I should go. You need rest and I have some things to do.”**

**“I don´t want to stay here. Can´t I go outside?”**

**“Not now. But I´m sure, that Doctor Ziegler will release you as soon as it´ll be possible. Just be patient,”** Hanzo said before he left the room.

Sighting, he readjusted in the bed. He wanted to go outside, to see what world looked like, because he was sure, he wasn´t in anywhere in Grand Line or any of the Blues. If he was, people would already bound him and put in the brothel.

**“All I can do now is wait.”**

 

* * *

 

After Zenyatta told her everything he knew, Angela was surprised. She didn´t expect news like these. It was fascinating. Even after scientific and technologic boom, the male pregnancy was still mere dream. But now, the dream was little closer to become real.

But what concerned her was the great discrimination of male pregnancy. She could understand the hierarchy of the Alpha, Beta and Omega. But she couldn´t accept that half of the one class was treated like dirt, while the second half was accepted.

“Zenyatta, when Zoro said, that male Omegas were discriminated, didn´t he tell you how?”

“No doctor Ziegler. But his whole body tensed, so I could only think of the worst way. I didn´t want to pry more than necessary, he was already stressed.”

“It´s alright, Zenyatta. We will ask him, when he is all better.”

Healers sat in silence, thinking about everything they get to know.

“We must transport him somewhere else. Here, we don´t have enough components to construct new legs. Mr. Lindholm could be able create pair protheses, that will compliment Zoro´s needs as swordsman. But for now, he could be moving around in wheelchair. In monastery, there are few wheelchairs for elderly people or the ones who cannot walk,” Omnic monk said.

“Great idea, Zenyatta. I will go to tell Jack about our situation. Then we can call Torbjorn,“ Angela said happily.

She said quick goodbye as she went to search captain Morrison. Zenyatta stayed in room for while then decided, it would be the best if he found one of those wheelchairs.

 

* * *

 

Aleksandra “Zarya” Zaryanova was not happy. She was angry. She didn´t want to be in this shrine. In shrine full of omnics. She didn´t trust those machines. She was sure, that under those serene masks was vicious murdering machine, that was waiting for her to lower her focus. Not happening. She was not giving those things any chance, any opportunity, to attack her, harm her. Or any of other humans here with her.

She passed past group of omnic monks, talking quietly with each other. She didn´t want to eavesdrop, but knowing anything her enemies were talking about was valuable information. So, after she passed group, she hided behind the corner, staying quiet so she could hear static voices.

“…brother Zenyatta found very interesting person…” “…yes, yes. Iris was loud when boy was brought into the shrine…” “…he may have connection with it…” “…what would brother Mondatta do…” “…why didn´t we went with him…” “…yes, if we did, he would be alive…” “…but he is part of Iris now…” “…you are right, what we must do now is continue his teachings…”

Zarya couldn´t listen anymore. It was not because she sympathised with them. It was because she couldn´t listen to those nonsense. She didn´t understand why Omnics were dead set on convincing people, that there was something more than programming.

“…what is that boy called…” “…I believe brother Zenyatta said it was Zoro…”

Zoro. Their quest. Zarya saw the boy when the Omnic brought him from crash. Person who was one of the main topics among people in monastery. She herself wanted to meet him. She wanted to hear his story. She decided to find infirmary.

On her way she saw Zenyatta trotting around and that was the moment, she realized, that she didn´t know where exactly the infirmary was. She didn´t want to ask a machine, but she swallowed her pride and went to Zenyatta. “Hey, where is infirmary situated in this monastery?”

“Oh, miss Zaryanova. Infirmary is down that corridor, third door on your left. I will be there shortly,” monk said happily, ignoring the fact that Russian woman left without thanking.

 

* * *

 

Zoro sat in bed, looking out of the window, thinking how he could get back home. He didn´t know where he was, but he was sure he wasn´t in Grand Line anymore. Luffy said that if anything happened that would cause their separation, they should meet in three days in Sabaoby Archipelago. But swordsman knew he wouldn´t be able to go there, not in this state. Without legs he was as good as dead. Maybe he could get peg legs, like that chief cook in Baratie, Zeff. But he discarded the idea. The cook would laugh his ass off and would mock him every single moment he could. Call him cripple, making him feel more and more useless. And with him, he would be mocked by sea witch and Usopp. Chopper would never let him leave the med bay, never let him fight. Little doctor would have him on radar, following him everywhere. He wouldn´t have moment of privacy, he knew it.

Small knock on doorframe. He turned his head, expecting levitating monk, but he was greeted by very tall and muscular woman standing there and looking at him.

**“Can I come in?”** she said in his language, but with very heavy accent. It surprised him. Only people who could understand him were those two brothers, Hanzo and Genji, and Omnic monk, Zenyatta.

**“Yes, come in,”** he said after small pause. **“How come, that you speak my language? I thought that only ones, who could understand me, were Shimada brothers and Zenyatta.”**

Woman got inside, finding small chair and sitting on it. **“I learnt Japanese as my third language. I am not good as natives, but I can communicate quite well. Looks like those years of learning will be paying off.”**

**“Excuse me, but what is Japanese?”** Zoro asked confused.

Now it was woman´s turn to be surprised. “You **don´t know name of your own language? Language of your country?”**

**“Where I come from, everyone speaks same language. We are not calling it anything. It´s just universal language everyone understands.”**

**“Interesting,”** was all woman said.

**“What´s your name?”** boy asked.

**“Ah, I´m sorry. My name is Aleksandra Zaryanova, but you can call me Zarya. What´s your name?”**

**“I am Zoro,”** he said.

**“Just Zoro? You surely have surname,”** Zarya raised eyebrow.

**“I have, but I don´t want to tell it to anyone. Yet. I will tell one day but not now.”**

**“Of course,”** she nodded. **“By the way. When Morrison returned from crater, where you crashed, he brought those swords you have next to you. One of the brother picked them up and said they were quite heavy.”**

**“Yes, they are heavy. But I train so I can wield them and use them in battle. They are my companions. Who is Morrison?”**

**“Other person in this monastery. You will meet him eventually. How do you train?”** Zarya asked, interested in swordsman work out.

**“I lift weights, I swing weights, I squat with weights. Sometimes I swim or run when we are taking break on some island. Then I meditate, but others think that I sleep or taking a nap. I can tell that you are strong. That number on your shoulder. Does it mean something?”**

**“Da, it does have a meaning. It´s my personal record in professional heavy lifting.”**

**“Nice,”** Zoro smiled. **“One day we could arm wrestle.”**

Small knock was heard. Both Zarya and Zoro turned their heads to the door. Zenyatta was there patiently waiting.

**“Mr. Zenyatta!”** boy shouted happily. **“Come in. Come in.”**

Zarya was little surprised by enthusiasm shown by young boy. He was so open to that machine, instantly welcoming it.

**“Thank you, Zoro. Doctor Ziegler and I thought, that you would like to leave this room,”** he said.

**“Of course, I would like to see what is outside…But, how will I move around without legs?”**

**“In monastery were some wheelchairs, so I brought one here. But if you don´t want to use it, we can find other way how to move you around…”** Zenyatta quickly said.

True. Zoro didn´t want to use wheelchair. It hurt his ego. His pride. But he knew that there wasn´t any other way he could go out. Aside from being carried. And that was even more unacceptable than the wheelchair.

**“I will take wheelchair. But I want to push wheels,”** he said.

**“Of course,”** Zenyatta said happily.

He pushed wheelchair in the room, next to Zoro´s bed. Boy pushed himself up and into the chair. Now, Zarya could see swordsman legs. Asymmetrical cuts. One under the knee, one in middle of the shin. ´Making prothesis for him will be little challenging. But it´s nothing that can´t be done,´ she thought.

Surprising both Russian woman and Omnic monk, Zoro rotated the wheelchair with ease, pushing himself to the door. It looks like he had used wheelchair in the past.

**“Are we going?”** boy asked, waking other two from their stupor. They nodded following him outside.

 

* * *

 

Genji sat in the conference room in their ship. Along with Jack, Winston, Angela and McCree. And seriously, he was bored. He hated meetings. He hated as child, he hated them as teenager and he will definitely hate them until he dies. His brother, he was total opposite. Hanzo could attend every meeting effortlessly since he could remember. How he was doing it, Genji had no idea.

He looked out of the window, too tired to listen the rambling Jack was telling them. He was always mesmerized by Nepal Himalayas. They were so grand, so intimidating. Genji glanced at backyard of the monastery. There was group of monks, meditating. Oh, how nostalgic. When he accepted Zenyatta´s offer to help him, his daily meditations were requiring other Omnic monks to have steel patience with him. He was stubborn, impatient, full of rage. Usually sitting in the last row, to being able quickly flee without anyone noticing. But as time passed, monks noticed this, and started to make sure, that he was in the middle of group, surrounded by them.

He saw Zenyatta coming out of the monastery, only to stop on top of the stairs, turning to entrance, waiting for somebody. That somebody turned out to be Zoro. Boy was sitting in wheelchair, pushing himself like the pro. And behind him, to Genji´s greatest surprise, came Zarya. When Zoro reached the stairs, Zarya grabbed wheelchair by handlebars, lifting whole thing in the air along with boy. Young man was seriously not happy with it, by look on his face. But Russian woman just laughed as she descended the stairs. On the bottom, she lowered wheelchair on the ground, letting Zoro to have full control of it again.

“-ji. Genji. Are you listening, you punk?” Jack asked harshly. “What are you looking at?”

“What? Ah. Um…nothing,” he said. “I am looking at nothing.”

“Your nothing looks like certain Omnic,” McCree smirked as he looked out of the window. “Or is it that young boy, who your Omnic friend brought.”

“Oh, shut up.”

“So, he is already up. Great. We can bring him in for questioning,” Jack said only to be lightly slapped by Angela.

“Are you normal, Jack?”

“I am. If we question him now, he won´t have time to make up some stories.”

 

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading \\(° v °)/
> 
> I hope the characters weren't too out of character. If yes, I'm sorry. I will try to make them more in the in character next time.  
> Also, my knowledge with biology is embarassing. So, if there is some biologist that had read this, I appologise for the biologic mess i've created.
> 
> See you next time (｡◕‿◕｡)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for long waiting ಥ_ಥ  
> Note: I STILL do not have a beta reader, so I apologise in advance for any grammar mistake  
> Disclaimer: I do NOT own Overwatch neither One Piece. Overwatch belongs to Blizzard and One Piece to Oda Eiichiro

Zoro was not fond of what Zarya did. Sure, there were stairs, but at least she could tell him what she was going to do. When he protested, she just laughed. It irritated him. He didn´t like it. Fortunately, for Zarya, he was put down. Back in control of this wheeled contraption. He manoeuvred chair around, facing woman.

**“Next time you do it, warn me!”** he shouted at her.

Her response was laugh. She laughed loudly, **“I didn´t know you have fire in yourself, мальчик (mal´chik).”**

**“I don´t know what you just said, but I am an adult man!”**

**“To me, you are not. Мальчик,”** she teased.

Zoro blushed from anger. He didn’t like to be teased. He had enough of teasing, being looked down or being used as scapegoat. At Sunny, an archaeologist liked to tease him with harmless comments. Like when she caught him babysitting those three babies. The witch used blackmail and depths to such extents, that make him feel sick. She was greedy. Extremely greedy. And if she was told worth of his swords, she wouldn´t hesitate to sell them and take all the money, not giving him a single Belli.

“Brother Zenyatta, is that the human, who landed in paw shaped crater?” robotic voice pulled out of his musing.

He looked up and saw person similar to Zenyatta, only this person had different face and clothes. While Zenyatta had somber face, this person had more fierce face, but not aggressive. And behind this monk, there was whole group of robotic people. Every single one of them was unique. Be it face or body.

“Brother Horus, hello. Yes, this is the human I found,” Zenyatta said.

**“Hello. My name is Zoro.”**

**“Welcome to Shambali monastery, Zoro. We are all happy to have you here,”** a monk, Horus, said.

**“You all can speak my language?”**

**“Brother Zenyatta told us, that you don´t understand any other language than Japanese. So, we made precautions, and those who didn’t already know Japanese, downloaded it,”** Horus said.

Again, that word. Japanese. He didn’t know why they called it. He was really in need of map. Or that rotating round thing. Globus. Was it possible that he ended up in different world? ´Theoretically, it is possible. In Grand Line, everything is possible,´ he thought. But if it was true, then that meant he couldn’t return back. He couldn’t return home. He won´t return on time. What will he do?

**“Dear boy, are you with us?”** he heard voice buzzing right next to his ear. He jumped a little, turning head to voice´s source. Next to him was standing other monk, but thanks to the voice, he could tell that this one was female. She had three light dots on her face, but no eyes. Zoro was looking at her, precisely staring. Soon enough he remembered where he was, quickly apologizing.

**“Don´t worry, dear boy. You seemed lost in your thoughs,”** she said.

“Quite a lot since I met you,” heavy lifter snickered, but Zoro didn’t understood what she said.

**“I was thinking about home. I need to get back,”** he said bluntly. **“But problem is, I don´t know where I am exactly.”**

Omnics looked at each other. There was heavy silence, until Horus said, **“We can show you a world map. And we will try as much as we can to help you get home.”**

Zoro could hear reassurance from monk´s voice. He smiled faintly. But that was the moment the calmness of their group was disturbed.

 

* * *

 

“Jack, please, stop! He is still healing! Only thing you will get, is silence! He won´t talk! He will be startled! Give him more time!” Angela cried as she was running behind Morrison.

“No time! We need information! He could be Talon agent, for God´s sake! We need to get him talk now! It´s now or never!” he shouted back at her.

They marched to the group. They saw that monks were turning their heads to them. Confused. They didn’t know what´s going on. Even Zarya looked confused. And boy just narrowed eyes. Like he knew what is going to happen. Before anyone could do anything, Jack Morrison walked to green haired boy, making move to grab handles of his wheelchair, with full intentions to wheel him for “the talk”. But before he could do that, Zoro grabbed soldier by jacket, yanking him down. But Morrison wasn’t once leader of Overwatch for nothing. He quickly answered with fists to the face. Boy growled, letting the jacket go, only to jump at man and strike him with right hook. Receiving more punches everywhere. Face, chest, stomach. Responding with his own fists and elbows.

Zenyatta could only look at what was happening before him. Silent fight, yet so brutal. Both Jack and Zoro lied on the floor. One moment soldier had boy pinned below him, other moment they swapped places and boy was beating soldier. Some monks were trying to stop the fight, but they were futile. Even Angela tried and couldn’t even get close to them. McCree was only looking at all that turmoil, seemingly not worried at all. He looked somewhat amused. Genji, on the other hand, was very nervous. Zenyatta knew that cyborg took liking towards their green haired quest. He also knew that Jack was Genji´s former boss, or something like that. There was turmoil inside of him, Zenyatta could feel it. Cyborg didn’t know who he should help. Zarya was there too. She seemed to also take liking in Zoro. Yet she didn’t even try to step in.

“WHAT´S GOING ON HERE?!” strong voice shouted.

The fight ceased, everyone turned to the source of that shout. And there stood Winston, who was usually calm and kind, now had anger radiating from his face. Next to him stood other people, consisting of Ana Amari, Hana Song, Lena Oxton, surprisingly Jamison Fawkes and Mako Rutledge, and Genji´s brother, Hanzo.

“Jack! What is meaning of this?!” Winston screamed at soldier. “Why are you hostile towards our quest?!”

“We need answers. And we need them before he could make something up,” soldier defended himself.

“That´s not excuse to your hostile behaviour,” genius gorilla said.

There was moment of silence. Zoro just sat there, surrounded by Omnic monks, looking intensively at Winston. Was it possible? There, before him, stood talking gorilla. Breathing talking gorilla. Was the animal which ate similar devil fruit as Chopper? Or was he human who ate Saru Saru no Mi, model Gorilla? He couldn’t believe it. But hey. Trafalgar Law did have talking polar bear as his navigator. So, it shouldn’t be so unbelievable.

Winston turned to stunned boy. And smiled: “I´m sorry for behaviour of Mr Morrison. He is just little stressed out. He…” he stopped when he saw confused look on Zoro´s face. “Ah, yes. You don´t understand English. Sorry. Mr Shimada? Could you translate what I said?”

“Of course **. Listen. Winston said, he is sorry for behaviour of Mr Morrison. Will you accept this as an apology?** ” Hanzo asked green haired swordsman.

**“There is nothing to be sorry about. His reaction was adequate. Maybe little too harsh, but adequate. I would react same if somebody crashed on our ship,”** boy said calmly.

**“Ship?”** archer asked.

**“Yeah, ship. What else would pirates use as their transport?”**

**“Pirates?”** now Genji asked.

**“What? You never heard of pirates? Men and women sailing the seas?”**

“What is he saying?” Morrison asked.

**“Don´t tell me I landed in some kind of Marine base,”** Zoro said as he started laughing. **“And legless on top of the all!”**

Everybody looked at boy as he was laughing. Bitter laugh. He laughed for few minutes. Then his expression returned to neutral one.

**“I know that, that man,”** he pointed at Jack, **“wants to interrogate me. He can as well take me. I bet that strange thing back there is your centre of operation. So, let´s get this over. I will answer any question you have and in return, I you to answer some of my own questions. Deal?”**

As Hanzo translated it to others, Morrison nodded, turning back to the ship. Zoro took his swords, giving them to Hanzo, who hesitantly took them. Then boy wheeled himself after Morrison.

“I hope everything goes well,” Genji said.

“I think we should go with them. As little restrain for Jack and encouragement for Zoro,” Mercy said.

Some nodded. Some just followed the Soldier towards the ship. Monks stayed behind, saying that they shouldn’t mix in problems, that are not theirs. They quietly returned into the shrine. That left only Zenyatta, who followed the group into the ship.

 

* * *

 

Zoro was seated in front of the man, whose name, as he understood was Morrison. Soldier was looking at him through cool looking red glassed. He couldn’t see man´s face, because it was hidden behind the mask. But Zoro knew, that this man was frowning.  Of course, he was frowning, he was angry. He wanted answers.

“Start talking, boy,” man said.

Only word Zoro understood was “boy”. He didn’t like being called like that, but hey, this man looked old, so Zoro couldn’t blame him. In comparison to this man, who looked like he ran through hell, he was young. So this Morrison called him what he was. A boy.

“We don´t have all day,” man demanded.

**“You know I don´t understand you, right?”** he asked.

Morrison sighed. “Oi, Shimada! I don´t care which one of you, come here. You will be translator.”

Unsurprisingly, both Genji and Hanzo came in. along with Angela, Winston and others.

“Before you say anything, Jack, I won´t leave him alone with you. He is still healing and I need to keep eye on him,” Ms Ziegler said when she saw Morrison´s mouth opening.

“…fine.”

“He will ask you questions. You answer them. Ok?” Genji asked.

“Alright.”

“Jack, you can start questioning. But please, leave questions that are invading his privacy. I will translate everything he says,” cyborg turned to his former boss.

“Your full name?”

**“Roronoa Zoro.”**

“Age?”

**“Nineteen.”** “He is same age as me,” Hana quietly said.

“What is your profession?”

**“Swordsman.”**

“What are your affiliations?”

**“First mate of Straw Hat Pirates.”**

“Never heard of that group. So you are the pirate?”

**“Yes.”**

“What kind of illegal things you do as a pirate? Human trafficking, drugs, hacking?”

**“I don´t know what hacking is, but as pirate, I´ve never dealt drugs or sell a person.”**

“Then what are you doing?”

**“We sail the seas, stopping at the islands, live our lives to the fullest and trying to reach our dreams.”**

“So, the old-fashioned pirates.”

**“What do you mean? Old-fashioned?”**

“Pirates who sail the seas,” man said uninterested. “Which country you are from?”

**“I don´t know. I was born on the ship. Raised on ship.”**

**“But based of your language, you must had been born near Japan.”**

**“What do you mean Japan. I´ve never heard of that country. You call language I speak Japanese and have people who can talk it, but I never heard of this land. That brings me to one thing, I´ve been thinking about. Can you show me your map of the world? I need to check something.”**

“Will it also help us?”

**“Precisely.”**

Morrison nodded, pushing some button. The holographic projection appeared, slowly rotating. Zoro was looking at glowing image for few minutes. Then sighed, burring himself in the wheelchair.

**“Is something wrong?”** Zenyatta asked.

**“Yes,”** Zoro said. **“Very wrong.”**

“Is something wrong with map?” this time Angela asked.

**“It´s totally different from what I had seen.”**

“How so?”

Zoro didn’t say anything. He fiddled his belly warmer, until he found cleverly hidden hole. He put hand inside and took out the map. It looked old. It was torn on the edges, but other than that, map was in good condition. He gave it to Morrison.

“What is this?” he asked, when he unfolded the map.

**“Map of the world where I am from,”** Zoro simply stated.

“Is this a joke?”

**“No, it isn’t.”**

“There is no possible reason to believe that this is real!!”

“Calm down, Jack. Let him explain this. He could have reasonable explanation,” Angela cut in.

“If that so, he should talk very, I mean very, quickly,” Morrison snarled.

**“…Typical behaviour of arrogant marine…”** Zoro muttered.

**“What was that? Should I translate it?”** Genji asked.

**“Do as you wish,”** Zoro sighed.

Genji choose to be quiet.

“Oi, mate. Don´t ya have one of those thingies, that can tell if he is lying or not?” tall scrawny man cut in.

“Jamison, it´s called lie detector,” big man next to him rasped.

“See, Jack. That´s great idea. It is possible to distinguish lie from truth thanks to body language and heart pulse,” Angela cheered.

**“What do you need to do?”** Zoro asked.

“You will wear this bracelets on both of your wrists and I will hold my fingers where your jaw connects with the skull. And others will watch your reactions to the questions.”

**“Sound easy enough. All right.”**

“Excellent.”

 

Whole interrogation went calmly. Zoro answered all Morrisons questions, safe for those, which were too personal. Everybody agreed, that boy was speaking truth. But, it sounded unbelievable. Pirates, mermaids, giants, monsters…everything sounded like one big fantasy tale. When it comes to Zoro´s life as pirate, things got funny.

“Oi, oi, mate. Do ya got bounty, eh?” Junkrat cut in.

**“Of course, I have. Everyone in crew has a bounty,”** Zoro answered.

“What sum?”

**“Together six hundred sixty-seven thousand fifty berri.”**

“Berri? What are those? Fruit?”

**“It´s currency used were I am from.”**

“Yea…but how much is it worth? Like…what can ya get for…ummm…hundred and fifty?”

**“For hundred and fifty berries? A loaf of cabbage.”**

“Oh? So then, we can confirm, that it´s very close to Japanese yen. In Japan, you can buy cabbage for nearly same price.”

“Now…what was yar bounty?”

**“One hundred twenty million berri.”**

“One hundred twenty million…Wait!! Did ya say million?!…Oi! Japanese man! Make a conversion to dollars!”

“Hanzo. This is your forte…”

“Urgh…fine. In US dollars it´s about one million one hundred twenty thousand, plus minus few hundred. And in Australian dollars, it´s two hundred twenty thousand more.”

“OH BOY!! YA GOT SOME BOUNTY ON YA!!” Junkrat shouted.

Zoro smirked, looking satisfied with himself.

“Of course, I have. But it´s nothing in comparison to my captain´s,” he said.

“Ooh. Will ya tell us? Will ya?”

Zoro shook his head, “No. I think that I´ve already said too much.”

“And I think, it´s time for our quest and my patient to go sleep. No, Jack. No. This interrogation took already too long. I need to check his wounds. And on top of that, I bet, everyone here is tired.”

“…fine,” Morrison grumbled.

“Wunderbar,” Angela smiled.

She took handles of Zoro´s wheelchair, wheeling him out of the airship, towards monastery.

 

* * *

 

Once in the infirmary, Angela sat Zoro on the bed.

“Pants off,” she said as she pointed on his pants.

Zoro at first looked confused, but then he followed the direction of finger pointing on his pants. He blushed and vigorously shook head. Angela sighed. ´Oh boy, how to tell him, I need to see his legs?´

“I need to check your legs. Please, take your pant off.”

There was moment of silence. Zoro was still blushing, Angela was looking at him. Then, boy took covers, put it across his lap. He quickly discarded his pants. And for the first time, looking at his legs*.

“Thank you. Don´t worry. It will be quick check up,” doctor said as she took left leg into her hands. She looked at the stiches, which were nicely healing. ´Thanks to Zenyatta´s Healing orb, there will be minimal scarring,´ she though. Then she took the right leg, checking it over. ´Shame, we will be forced to cut it open, for protheses.´

“Everything looks good. No infection. **Thank you** ,” she said in Japanese.

Zoro nodded, his cheeks still red, shooed Angela away. She just smiled, standing up and leaving infirmary. Boy sat for while without any movement, looking at his legs. Building courage to touch it, feel the texture of wound. ´To think, I nearly amputated my legs myself…´ he chuckled, remembering events from Little Garden. Then frowned, looking out of the window. ´Luffy, everyone…Please be all right.´

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Cuffs of Zoro's pants are sew together, so that's why he didn't saw how his legs looked like  
> (+ I'm sorry for Junkrat's "Australian" accent...)  
> Thank you for reading. And if there is anything you didn't understand, just ask.
> 
> See you next time (｡◕‿◕｡)


	4. Chapter 4

Days went smoothly. Angela made quick check-ups, making sure, everything was healing as it should be. Zenyatta spent time with green haired boy, talking to him, meditate with him or just sitting with him. Zoro enjoyed monk presence. When he was with Omnic, he felt calm. At peace. He didn´t felt this peaceful in long time. He had time for himself. Nobody was disturbing him. Nobody was annoying him. Nobody was nagging him. And he loved it. Just calm and quiet.

“Oi! Mate! Got a minute?” okay let´s take it back.

Jamison was a little pain in the ass. Only a little pain in the ass. His personality was mix of Usopp and Luffy. Annoying, never know when to stop. Yet, it was strangely nostalgic. Listening to guy´s bragging about bombs and money, it was nice. He kind of liked their conversations. Even though he didn´t understand a much. He only knew that Jamison was talking about bombs or money was thanks to sounds and gestures pyromaniac made. “Ka-boom!”, “Bang” and “Cha-ching” were easy to understand.

**“Yes?”**

And Jamison started talking. By usage of sounds and gestures, Zoro guessed, that man was talking about bombs. Again. Not that Zoro minded. It felt kind of nostalgic. Like he was on Sunny again. But there was still pang of sadness. How, in the thousand seas, will he get back? How?

For whole hour Junkrat was talking about something. Even though, Zoro wanted to listen, he could understand very little of the speech pyromaniac had. This language man spoke with, sounded like rambling and gibberish. But it looked like, that everybody could speak this strange language. Should he learn it too? Or not? On one hand, if he knew the language, he could easily communicate with everybody. But on the other hand, well, there weren´t any cons.

Suddenly, a caw was heard. Both junker and pirate turned their heads to the sound. On the windowsill sat seagull. Strange thing about this bird was, that it had hat and bag filled with papers. Zoro immediately recognised it as one of News Coo seagulls.

**“Hey, hey. Come here,”** he ushered bird inside. Seagull, trained to understand human language, flew inside. It sat on Zoro´s bed waiting for pirate to move. Zoro took one gold coin from his haramaki, holding it in front of the bird. It shook it´s head, rising two feathers on his wing.

**“Two Belis? Are you raising prices again? You know, not everybody is able to pay for them,”** Zoro sighed. Bird just shrugged and prepared to fly off. But Zoro was quicker. He seized bird before it could depart. It cawed loudly, trashing, but boy didn´t budge.

**“No flying away. I need to know, how did you got here,”** he said. As in responses, bird cawed, while looking confused. **“You don´t know, how did you get here?”** and seagull confirmed it by nod of its head.

Zoro turned to Junkrat. “Jamison…Genji…Hanzo…” then he fell quiet. How should he tell the man, that he need talk to someone who can understand him? He looked at junker, hoping he would understand him. Jamison was looking at him, confused. Then stood up and shouted something. He must have called someone, because few seconds after, Genji and Angela came. Doctor said something and cyborg instantly translated it.

**“What happened?!”**

**“This seagull! It came from my home! I need to know how it came here!”** Zoro answered, showing head of somewhat calm seagull. It looked grumpy.

“Angela! Do we have some tracking chips?” Genji asked.

“Why? What happened?”

“That bird came here from Zoro´s home! He wants to know how it came here!” Angela didn´t need to hear more. With quick “Stay here”, she ran from room. After few minutes, she came back with syringe.

“Tell boy, that I need to insert chip through the syringe. He needs to hold that bird,” doctor said.

As Genji translated it, Angela prepared tracking device. Zoro held animal a little bit tighter, but not much, because he didn’t want to hurt the bird. Doctor Ziegler inserted needle in the base of the neck. Seagull cawed a little, but then it felt silent. For moment, Zoro feared, that bird was injured, but all it did was squirm.

“Everything´s done,” said Angela with smile. “You can release it now.”

Boy let go of seagull, but all it did, was glare at swordsman. For few seconds, Zoro was looking at bird, before he sighed.

**“Yes, that´s fair,”** he turned to Genji. **“Can I get some food for this bird? As apology…”**

Cyborg chuckled, translating it to Angela and Jamison. After few seconds, everybody left Zoro alone with seagull. Zoro took newspaper and looked at title page. He froze. On the cover, there was his captain, standing with his hat in his hand, pressed against his chest. His captain was wrapped in bandages. And on his shoulder, only part of his body without bandages, was something written. Zoro narrowed his eyes, trying to distinguish what was written there.

**“3D…crossed….2…Y…What does he mean?”** Zoro was musing, but then, instantly, he got it. **“He said, that if anything separates us, we shall meet in three days on Archipelago. The crossed 3D must mean three days. Luffy is telling us, when to meet. In Archipelago, in two years. He is giving us time. Time to prepare ourselves to New World.”** He looked out of the window. What he saw, were snowy mountains. **“I don´t let you down, captain. I won´t,”** he declared.

 

* * *

  

It was exactly three days since the News Coo seagull left. Good thing was, that the chip was tracking it´s route. Bad thing was, that the signal went into statics once it reached Sri Lanka. But before anyone could say something, Zoro begged, that he want to stay for a while. After ten painful minutes of explaining what was going on, Zoro was permitted to stay with them. Unsurprisingly, Angela was satisfied with that decision. As she said, she didn´t want to see boy doing anything that would worsen his condition.

Everybody decided, that it would be the best, if boy was transported to Gibraltar. There, it would be easier to make him new legs and monitor his health. Nearly everybody agreed, even though, Shambali monks wanted Zoro to stay with them. Only ones clearly against it were Junkers and, surprisingly, Hanzo Shimada. While Junkrat wanted boy to join him and Roadhog in making more chaos, Hanzo just mumbled, that the boy should not indebted himself. Zoro quietly agreed with him. But he needed new legs. Without them, he was powerless. He was useless. And he didn´t want that. It was decided.

 

„Who will be in charge of Zoro´s protheses?” Genji asked when the ship flew into the air.

He was looking at boy. Swordsman was sitting next to the window and was looking out at passing scenery.

“Torbjörn. Why are you asking?” Angela answered.

“No reason.”

“Symmetra is not at the base?” Hana pipped in.

“She is. Why?” Winston looked up from his tablet.

“Just, Symmetra is architect from Vishkar, right? They are known for their work. And her left arm is protheses. A good one. She could aid in making leg protheses, no?” Korean girl asked.

“I will call both of them, proposing your idea. But we must except, that they wouldn´t want to work together,” Winston said and left to make a call.

Mercy turned to Hana, “What made you ask this question, Hana?”

“I was just asking,” gamer girl said and went to other part of the ship.

 

* * *

 

It was roughly two hours of flight, when Hana came to Zoro. She sat next to him, offering can of her favourite soda. He accepted, thanking her. Boy looked at the can. He saw something like this before…maybe, he wasn´t sure. It was big, surprisingly. It was colourful, with picture of bunny and some girl. He looked closer at it. The girl on the can was familiar. He looked at Hana, as she introduced herself to him. Back at the can. Back at Hana. He pointed at her.

**“Is the girl on the picture you?”** he asked as he pointed back at the can.

Korean girl made a pose and smiled, “Bingo, we have winner!!”

**“You must be pretty famous,”** Zoro murmured under his nose.

**“She actually is,”** Genji said.

**“Genji, it is rude to eavesdropping other´s conversations,”** his brother frowned.

“Sorry, sorry,” cyborg said, not sorry at all.

Zoro didn´t listen to brother brickering. No. He was too preoccupied with other things. Like looking out of the window. Or at that weird thing in Hana´s hands. It was glowing. It was showing moving pictures. Don´t get him wrong, he knew that DenDenMushi could transfer video records, along with sound, but here? Here, he couldn´t see the familiar snail. The device, that petite girl was holding, was practically glowing film between two chrome rods with buttons. How did that work, he didn´t know.

“Do you want to try?” Hana asked him after she noticed he was intensively staring at her GGPlay.

He flinched as if caught hot handed. Green-haired looked at her confused. She offered her game. And his only response was confused look.

**“Hana is asking you, if you would like to play. You were looking at her GGPlay so intensively, she though you want to try play a game on it,”** younger Shimada explained.

**“What? Oh, no no. I was just trying to understand, how it works. I never saw anything like it,”** Zoro said quickly as he was frantically gesturing with his hands. **“Besides, I would easily destroy it. My grip is just too strong. And it looks so fragile. Just holding it, I would snap it in two.”**

As Genji was translating, Hana, at first, looked purely terrified. Then she started laughing.

“He is so cute!! Let´s keep him!” she squealed.

“He is just little darling! I bet Emily would love him!” Lena cooed.

“Hana, Lena, he isn´t pet,” Angela scolded her.

“He listens t´ me, when I talk about the bombs and ´xplosions. Yeah, let´s keep ´im!” Jamison joined Korean gamer and British time traveler.

“I have to agree with our beautiful doctor. He is person, not dog,” McCree breathed out cloud of his cigar. “And I bet Morrison still have some questions he didn´t ask right away.”

“I have, but that will wait until we arrived at Gibraltar,” soldier confirmed, his voice coming from control bridge.

Mako and Ana didn´t say anything. They were just watching the chaos around them. Mako agreed with doctor Ziegler about the fact, that boy wasn´t a pet. But on the other hand, he was talking buddy to Jamison. Well, listening buddy, because let´s face it, Zoro didn´t understand English. But thanks to his partner´s body language, boy could understand to some degree what is Jamison talking about. He alone had spent few moments with boy. And he wasn´t annoying. He was quiet, from time to time, he would say something. After quick look in dictionary, he could now distinguish things like “I see”, “Cool” and “Really?”. Ana was neutral. She herself didn´t have any moments with Zoro. Nor it was needed. She could see. Young folks wanted to keep boy, because he was their peers. At least for Hana.

“I wouldn´t argue about keeping him. He really is cute. Like Siberian bear,” Zarya chuckled.

“You too, Zarya??” Angela throwed arm in the air.

Zoro was extremely confused. Everybody was arguing about something. And he didn´t understand. He felt left out. Was it about him? Was it about something else? What is happening? What should I do? He looked around, trying to find someone, that would explain this madness to him. He made eye contact with older Shimada, Hanzo. Said man stood up and came over.

**“Something matter?”**

**“Yes. What is happening? I´m confused. Like really, really confused. What are they arguing about?”** he indicates to the group.

**“Oh? They are arguing if they should keep you or not? Well Miss Song, Miss Oxton and Mr Fawkes want to keep you, while doctor Ziegler is saying that you are not a pet.”**

**“Damn right, I am not a pet. Do I look like a dog?”**

**“No. You look like cat.”**

**“Wha…”**

**“Big fierce cat. Like tiger. Or puma. Or maybe jaguar?”**

**“…at least I don´t look like marimo.”**

**“Who would call you Moss Ball?”**

**“Cook in our crew. I call him Swirly Eyebrow. Or Ero-cook.”**

**“Ero-cook? Is he womanizer?”**

**“A big one. Running after every damned woman he see. Refuse to battle with them, even though they are about to kill him. Calling me brute and caveman, when I happen to battle one.”**

**“Sounds like type of human I despite. Do you have, by chance, woman in your crew?”**

**“Yeah, two,”** Zoro sighed, **“He is doing everything they ask for. Special meals, special drinks, special sweets, special everything. It´s getting on my nerves.”**

**“And your captain? Has he any say in this?”**

**“Even if he had, he wouldn´t do anything. He likes freedom, so he is giving us as much freedom as we want. He is carefree. He is stupid. But he is nice person,”** swordsman softly smiled.

**“Sound like nice person.”**

**“He is. Very.”**

 

* * *

 

When they arrived at final destination, it was night. Angela made it clear, that any questioning and any activities that would include Zoro is to happen next day, when boy will be well rested. Nobody really protested.

Room, in which Zoro was put in, was simple. Door were opposite to big window. Underneath the window was positioned the bed with two build in drawers. There was a desk with chair. Small shelf above the desk and next to the bed. Switches right next to door and next to bed. Nothing more, nothing less.

Zoro was happy. It was simple. And he liked simple. But he could imagine little customization there and there. Nothing extravagant, nothing like four poster bed, nothing like velvet cushions, nothing like mirrors made out of pure gold and jewels. Heck, that was something Nami would like. No. Things he would like to have were books and plants. He didn´t look like it, but he liked books. He always liked to read. But he stopped after cook found him read in Crow´s nest. It was after Robin joined them. Even though he was suspicious of her, he was kind of happy that he had fellow book reader. Problem came after cook found him reading. He yanked book from his hands, tearing it a little on opened page. After that he was yelled at for destroying it, mind that it was cook who damaged book. Then Curly brow started singing odes about how any book that archaeologist touch is blessed piece and mongrels like Zoro are not worthy to even lay eye on it. The worst was, when cook decided to tell Nami, and other crew mates, about this. She eyed him and when he was alone, she threatened him with that stupid dept of her. Since that moment, he decided to never read the book on the ship or in presence of his crew member.

 

Morning came quickly. When Angela came for Zoro, she expected boy to be awake. What had greeted her was pleasant surprise for her. Swordsman was curled, snuggled into blanket, which was covering his entire form. Making it look like big cat hiding in bed. She smiled, quickly, and mainly quietly, took few photos, before waking boy up. He opened eyes, little confused about new surroundings. Doctor couldn´t take it anymore. She laughed, quickly taking another few pictures, while Zoro looked at her.

“I´m sorry about my unprofessional behaviour. But I don´t promise it won´t happen again,” she said, thanking the fact that boy could not understand her.

**“…Whatever you say…I really don´t know what are you saying…so…okay,”** Zoro mumbled.

Angela positioned wheelchair next to bed and pointed at it. He understood immediately. He made move for wheelchair, but stopped midway. He gestured at his clothes.

“Don´t worry about it,” she reassured him.

**“Okay…”** he said as he sat in wheelchair.

Doctor made move to wheel him out. But before she even could touch handles, Zoro turned to her with quick **“Me!”**. She understood, turning to the door, opening them for him. He wheeled himself out of the room. Angela closed door, gesturing Zoro to follow her and went down the corridor.

 

After stop in the bathroom, Angela led Zoro to cantina/kitchen. It wasn´t empty. There was Lena and Hana, sitting together, eating cereals while chatting with each other. Mako was also there, his mask still on, just a little bit loosened, so he could stuff those delicious looking muffins in his mouth. Jamison was absent, maybe still sleeping. Older lady, Ana as Zoro recalled her name, was sitting with another lady, drinking cup of tea, while relishing some type of biscuits. Unknow lady next to her was having full breakfast with meat and eggs. Zoro was a little amazed at amount of food, because lady was slender. Tall and slender. But muscly. Not as muscly as Zarya, but still muscly. Speaking of that Russian lady, as he learnt that Russia is country, she was sitting with giant. Unknown man was at least two heads higher than Zoro. He was also muscly. That tank top left very little to imagination. Man had white hair and beard. His face was adorned with scar through left eye. Both he and Zarya were eating some white stuff with other, more appetizing looking food. Zoro knew what white stuff was. Boiled chicken. Few years back, Zoro was also eating this stuff. After two agonizing months, he stopped and returned to normal food. _´Never again. Never again,’_ he said to himself.

“Wait here,” Angela suddenly said, waking him from his thinking, as she pointed to empty table.

Zoro nodded, manoeuvring his wheelchair around the table, before securing wheels. Few minutes he just sat there, looking around the cantina. He noticed resemblance between Ana and lady next to her. Were they related? Mother and daughter? Hana and Lena were now getting second portion of those sugary looking cereals, still talking with each other. But at closer look, it was obvious, that they were still half asleep. Meanwhile Jamison came, also half asleep, making beeline towards Mako, falling in chair. Big man took one muffin and held it in front of pyro, who took big bite into it. It was cute and domestic, in strange way. That got Zoro thinking. Was it normal for them? Like Mako was father figure for Jamison? Or were they in romantic relationship?

“ **Zoro! Good morning, мальчик!”** Zarya called as she came to him. **“How are you?”**

**“Good. How are you?”**

**“Excellent. Would you like some boiled chicken? There is no better way to start a day!”** she smiled.

**“Thank you, but I decline,”** Zoro gesture no with his hand.

“Zarya, don´t even try it. Boiled chicken is not good for him right now,” Angela said as she carried tray.

She put tray in front Zoro. On it was nice amount of food. There was bread, some eggs, tomatoes, cheese and other things. He thanked Angela and started eating. As he was eating, doctor Ziegler explained to him, what they will do next.

“We will go to Torbjörn, or Symmetra. Best would be, if we find both of them. They will design prostheses for you. And we will get something, that will translate English into Japanese, because it´s getting tiresome to have somebody translate you everything what I say,” she said and waited for Zarya to translate it to Zoro.

**“You are not only one who is tired of this type of conversations,”** boy assured.

“And I strongly agree. Where are Shimada brothers when you need them?! I am not even that fluent in Japanese. I cannot assure you, that I will translate it without any mistakes,” Zarya sighted.

“Is somebody crying for help?” amused voice came from cantina entrance. “Don´t worry mortals. Dragon brothers are here to salvage you”

Everybody turned. And there stood Genji doing superhero pose. Next to him his older brother, facepalming.

“Genji…please…you are an adult…” he mumbled.

Hana, Lena and Jamison laughed. Mako´s expression was unreadable because of his mask. Ana and other lady raised eyebrow. Angela sighed. Big man loudly laughed, his deep voice echoing in cantina. Zarya looked annoyed. And Zoro confused, but sympathetic towards Hanzo.

“I need one of you to come with us,” doctor said. It wasn´t ask. It was statement.

Both brothers blinked.

“But…breakfast…” Genji whined.

“You go eat, Genji. I will accompany them,” his older brother said as he went for apple and banana.

“You´re best, anija!!” cyborg said happily as he went to Hana and Lena.

**“I´m not, Genji. I´m not,”** Hanzo whispered.

“Hanzo, please tell Zoro to follow me,” Angela said as she went towards exit.

Older Shimada did as asked. Zoro nodded, wheeling after doctor with Hanzo next to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading this chapter (づ｡◕‿‿◕｡)づ  
> I am very sorry for posting it after soooo long pause.  
> I hope you will forgive me. ┬┴┬┴┤(･_├┬┴┬┴ (.......please.......)


	5. Chapter 5

Torbjörn´s workshop was ten minutes away from cantina. During their walk, group was quiet. Zoro was looking around, noticing some strange technology he had yet to encounter. Some things, he could recognise.

“We are here,” Angela suddenly stopped, before closed door.

And as soon as she said that, explosion went off. Door slided open, smoke engulfed three members of the group. Along with chain of what sounded like insults.

“Don´t you dare to blame this mess on me, Lindholm!!” woman´s voice came from inside.

“Right, because you are never wrong! Just admit it, you are not as perfect as you think you are!” male voice shouted.

As smoke slowly disappeared, two people were revealed. One of them was mocha skinned lady. She had black hair tied into bun. Her clothes were pristine clean, even though there was explosion few minutes ago in the shop. What took Zoro´s interest, was that her left arm looked like it was made out of white and grey pieces. Was it protheses? Woman held little arrogant air around her, but she looked like rational person. Behind her was man. He was short. Very short. but he was still looking intimidating. He had blonde beard, which was divided into two parts, adorned by iron clips. ´Looks like Viking´s beard. They also have accessories in their beards,´ Zoro though.

“Ah, Angela. How can I help you?” man said.

“Are you sure they came just for you?” woman asked.

“You…”

“Actually, Torbjörn, Satya, we came for both of you. This young man is in need of new legs,” Angela gestured towards Zoro.

“So, you are the new recruit?” Torbjörn asked.

“No, Mr Lindholm. He is not recruit for Overwatch,” Hanzo cut in.

“Then why would I make him new pair of legs if he isn´t recruit?”

“To help him live, of course. And you call me apathetic,” Satya sneered at Torbjörn, then turning to group, smiling. “I will gladly construct new legs for him, you don´t need to ask twice.”

“Like hell I will allow you to make it. Your design would not survive a minute. While mine, they will last forever!”

“Don´t boast too much, Lindholm. It´s not good for your health.”

**“Ano…What is happening here?”** Zoro asked, tired that he didn´t understand a word.

**“My apologies, Zoro. I didn´t want to translate their brickering,”** Hanzo immediately apologized. **“They are arguing about, who will make you new legs. They don´t like each other very much. Always competing, always brickering.”**

**“I see…”**

“And you will also need translator, am I right?” Satya asked, noticing conversation between older Shimada and new boy.

“Yes, that too,” Angela agreed.

“Let´s look at boy´s problem. Come inside,” Torbjörn said, gesturing towards, now clear, workshop.

Doctor nodded and came after two builders. Zoro and Hanzo followed. Inside, there was so many of different things, that Zoro didn´t know where to look first. Just by looking at strange things, he could easily distinguish, that workshop was divided it two. On his left was everything organized, everything had it´s rightful place, nothing disturbed the perfect order. On his right was also everything organized, but in more messy way. All tools were together, all big parts were together, all small parts were together. There was system, but little chaotic.

“Let´s see the wounds,” small man, as he motioned towards Zoro and Hanzo immediately translated it.

**“Pants off? Only in underwear?”** boy asked, little flushed.

**“No need to be embarrassed. We are all adults. Should I help you?”**

Zoro nodded, lifted himself a little bit, allowing Japanese man to lower hem of the sweatpants he was wearing. Boy then took hem into his hands and pulled sweatpants off. Once they were off, Zoro became self-conscious, pulling his thighs close together, covering them with arms. Other people in workshop had clear view at boy´s wounds. Asymmetrical cuts, one under the knee, other in middle of the calf. Mocha skinned lady suddenly touched his right leg. Reaction was immediate. Zoro kicked with said leg, surprised at sudden touch.

“Good, good. His nerves are all intact and well-functioning. Connecting them to protheses won’t be problem,” she said as she performed same test with other leg, getting same results.

“And you couldn´t be gentler?” small man asked.

“No, I could be not,” she retorted. “But first things first. I think we should give him that translator, so we can communicate with him.”

“Give him? Like you already have it?” Angela and Torbjörn asked at same time.

“Vishkar was making those things for some time now. And as one of their architects, they are sending me the latest models. I, personally, do not have need to use them, but I like tinker with them from time to time,” Satya said.

She went to her side of workshop, opening one of locket drawers, taking out the two devices. One was composed from two parts. One ear piece and white collar like band. Second looked like earpiece with microphone attached to it. She put on the earpiece with microphone and turned it on. She sat in front of boy.

**“Greetings. My name is Satya Vaswani. What is your name?”** she asked boy, as the device translated her greetings into Japanese.

Zoro was shocked. Seconds ago, he couldn´t understand what was this lady before him saying. She wasn´t speaking his language seconds ago. But few seconds after she said something, her voice greet him, telling him her name and asked him for his name in language he could understand.

**“My name is Roronoa Zoro,”** he responded.

**“Zoro? What a nice name. I want to help you with your language barrier, that is separating you from communication with other people. What I hold in my hand is translator. It will translate everything you hear into Japanese, and everything you say into English, or any other language of your choosing. I will help you put it on. Will you let me touch you?”** she asked.

After Zoro nodded, she took the earpiece and put it on his right ear. Then, she took the collar like band, strapping it around boy´s neck. Then, she turned both things on. Satya took her own translator off.

“Okay, now you should communicate with us without problems,” she said.

Zoro´s eyes widened. He could understand. He could understand! No more waiting for someone to translate it to him. He could have normal conversation.

“I can understand you,” he said, happy to see that everybody knew what he said.

“Ms Vaswani, where is that accent coming from? Is that part of the programming?” Hanzo asked.

“Well, yes. It would be strange, if translation was said in Posh English or American English. It´s made to copy voice of the owner. It was tried on people of different nationalities, each of them had their respectful accent. Italian, who tested Swedish language, had Italian accent, one French woman had heavy French accent, when she was using English language. It varies from one person to another,” Vishkar architect explained.

“I see…”

“All right, now that we have one problem solved, we should concentrate on other, more serious problem. Boy´s legs,” Torbjörn announced.

Everybody nodded. Zoro looked at his stumps. Then he noticed, that he is still only in his underwear, so he put his legs close together.

“Hello lad, my name is Torbjörn Lindholm. I will make you new prostheses, so you could walk again I no time…” small man introduced himself, but was cut off when Satya interrupted him. “You mean, we will make him new prostheses. I´m not letting you making them alone. You will add some crazy things like flamethrowers or rocket launchers. I bet he need something normal, simple.”

“Don´t be ridiculous, I bet he would like something extra. He is young. And youngsters these days like extra.”

“Ano…Excuse me Mr Lindholm, but Ms Vaswani is right. I have no interest in complicated gadgets. I like simple things,” Zoro said, while Satya smirked at blonde man. “But I have few requests.”

“What it is, Zoro?” mocha skinned lady asked as she took out notebook and pen.

“See, I am swordsman. And I sail seas. My swords are heavy and I train with abnormal weights. With crew, we are exploring lot of islands with different landscape. We are often getting in lot of trouble…” he went silent for moment, while Satya and Torbjörn listened. “The protheses you would make…They should be light, but really, really resistant to withstand weight they would be constantly under. Non-corrosive, when in contact with sea water. And best would be also, if they wouldn´t be easily damaged by fire. But, if I´m asking for too much, I understand. In that case, I will be happy with simple protheses.”

Both builders were quiet for a while. The requests were not impossible. But all together? Satya frowned. She could imagine the design of new protheses. Heck, he could see them already attached on boy´s legs. Sleek, fitting young man perfectly. With minimal extra material sticking out of them. Every important component would be inside the protheses. Their outside would look like fiber skin. She didn´t even noticed, that she was drawing models in her notebook.

Torbjörn was thinking. He was sure, that he could make something, that would complement the boy before him. He was thinking about materials. There were quite a few, that weren´t corrosive, when in contact with salt water. There were others, which could support lot of weight. And so on. Old Omnic models were very sturdy. For example, model SST Laboratories Siege Automaton E54, or as he called it, Bastion, had been made from exact materials, which could be use in making these protheses. He didn´t even notice, that he took out paper, writing down components and doing raw drawings.

“Oh? You already have something in your mind? Torbjörn? Satya?” Angela asked, as she looked at the ideas over their shoulders.

“Wha…!! No! It´s just…” Torbjörn shouted out of surprise. “Angela! Don´t you scare me like this ever again!”

“ **Es tut mir leid**!! But, you looked so pensive, so I though you have something,” doctor smiled.

Both builders were looking at her, like she suddenly grew second head. Then Torbjörn shouted.

“ **Så vänta**!! Why are you not helping us?!” he pointed at her.

“Huh?”

“You build Genji´s body! You know how to work with human body! Why are you not helping us with these protheses?! You can create artificial muscles, which work as real muscles! Why are you not sitting and not thinking about it?!”

Hanzo turned to Angela. Swedish man was right. This was woman, who rebuilt his brother. Who was miracle worker.

“For once, I agree with Lindholm. You can create fibre mass. If you join us, these protheses would be finished in no time,” Satya added.

Now four pairs of eyes eyed Swiss woman. She was sweating bullets. Then she sighted, “Fine. I will do it. Hanzo, could you, please, take Zoro and showed him other facilities? While I stay here.”

“Of course.”

He helped boy put on sweatpants and then taking him outside. Door of the workshop closed, leaving two men in quiet hall.

 

* * *

 

Hanzo did not showed Zoro other parts of Gibraltar Base. Why? He alone didn´t know where they were installed. Only places he knew were cantina, training room and sleeping area. Older Shimada decided that he would take Zoro on the coast, where they could watch beautiful scenery. Before that, Hanzo decided that they should stop at cantina, so they could take something to eat with them. when they arrived at cantina, they were greeted by Zarya and white-haired man with beard.

“You are back! How did it go?” Zarya asked them.

“It went good. I understand now,” Zoro said, happy that device translated everything he said.

“ **великолепно** , those are some good news. And legs?”

“They are thinking of something,” Zoro answered, then turning to tall man. “Who are you?”

“I´m Reinhardt Wilhelm. It´s pleasure to meet you. I heard some rumours about you, but I know better than to blindly believe everything I hear,” man, Reinhardt, smiled.

“Nice to meet you too,” Zoro make small gesture, similar to bow.

“Where are you taking him, Hanzo?” tall man smiled towards Japanese man.

“I was planning to take him to the coast. The scenery is nice,” was the response. “And also taking something to eat with us.”

“ **Exzellent idee**! Would you mind if we join you?”

“No. You can join if you want,” both Zoro and Hanzo said at same time. They looked at each other and laughed.

 

* * *

 

Group was having nice walk on the coast. Reinhardt was telling stories of his youth, while he was with German crusaders. Zoro listened. He asked questions, when he didn´t understood something. Zarya was, from time to time, making off-handed statements about some details. Hanzo was quiet, listening to chat around him. Everything was calm. Until it wasn´t.

“…and when we though everything is lost, bombers came and destroyed rough Omnics. That was my last battle as Crusader. After that I joined Overwatch.”

“ **проклятые**   **машины…** ” Zarya quietly growled, but Zoro´s new translator caught that.

“Why?” he asked as he looked at Zarya.

“Huh?”

“Why do you dislike Omnics so much?”

“They destroyed my home. Killed many of people.”

“But aren´t they people too? Aren´t they just different race?”

“Those machines are not a race. You didn´t lived through Omnic Crisis. You can´t know, what I am talking about.”

“Maybe not. But I know what hate feel like. In my world, we have many races. And some just don´t like each other,” Zoro said.

“Oh, really?”

“Yes.”

“I would like to know what races are residing in your world. Could you tell us?” soft-hearted giant asked.

“Of course,” Zoro smiled. “I will start with humans. Then, there are fishmen or mermen. Those are people of the seas. They have characteristics of fishes. Fishmen look like humanoid fishes and sea creatures, Mermen look more like humans, but they possess tail of sea fauna. For example, octopus fishman has eight arms, their fingers are webbed, toes on feet are also webbed. One I encountered had strange mouth, it looked little like trumpet. They can be very colourful. As for mermen, their lower bodies are that of the fish. So, octopus merman would have eight tentacles for his legs. I think they are also very colourful.

Next race, which the crew and I saw were Sky People, that live on land in sky called Skypiea. Some call them mythological race, but they really exist. They look just like humans, but they have small wings growing from their backs…”

“So, they are angels?” Reinhardt asked.

“No, no…. well…. Maybe? They don´t have halos. And they are also divided. Three groups, Skypieans, Shandia and Birkans, I think,” Zoro mused.

“That´s all?” Zarya asked.

“Not at all!! There are Giants, Dwarves There is Long Arm Tribe. I´m certain, that Long Leg Tribe also exist. I´ve read about Long Neck Tribe. Mink Tribe. Kuja tribe…”

“And which races or tribes have you met or encountered?” Hanzo asked.

“I´ve met Fishmen, then all three groups of Sky People. Also, Giants, four of them. Two mermaids, one old, one young. I think I saw talking white bear…”

“Talking Polar bear? Was it big?” Zarya interrupted Zoro´s counting.

“Big and fluffy, if you ask me. He could walk on his hind legs without any problems. I think, his captain called him Beppo…why I remembered that? I never pay attention to names…” Zoro mused.

“Maybe that bear peaked your interest. That´s why you know his name,” Hanzo softly said.

“Maybe you are right.”

“Zoro boy, what is Long Arms Tribe? By name, I believe they must have long arms, but what they look like?” German asked.

“I only saw one person from this tribe. Well, it´s people have abnormally long arms. So long, they have second elbows.”

“Excuse me?!” other three looked at Zoro as if he grew second head.

“They have two elbows in one arm. Their arms are so long, one pair of elbows is not enough. To have only one pair of elbows, it would limit their arm mobility.”

“Sooo…that means, that Long Leg tribe has two knees?” Zarya asked.

“No, they have just really, really long legs,” boy shook his head.

“It´s hard to imagine…” Hanzo mumbled.

“Mr Reinhardt? Could you lift me in the air?”

“Of course, boy,” giant man said and lifted boy in the air.

“Little higher, please…Yes, like this exactly…So, imagine, that from where I am, my legs would be touching the ground. Upper part of the body is same, only my legs would go all the way down to the ground. That´s how long could be legs of Long Leg Tribe.”

“Right now, you are 2 metres 73 centimetres in air. That would mean, your legs would be 70% of your whole height,” Hanzo quickly calculated.

“Woah. You must be good at math. Something like that, yeah. But, I believe, that this would be still very short. I bet, there are higher members of this tribe,” Zoro said, as Reinhardt lowered him on his wheelchair.

“I bet Mercy would like to examine one of those people…” Zarya snickered.

“Mercy?” Zoro asked, confused.

“Oh, right you don´t know. Mercy is nickname for Angela…” “Oh, Dr Ziegler?” “…Yes. Overwatch is, or for right wording, was, organization. Some of its agents had aliases or nicknames.”

“Oh, I understand.”

There was moment of silence. It was nice, welcoming silence. Zoro viewed the scenery before him. Sea and in distance, he could see land. It was nostalgic. He thought about his crewmates. What were they doing? Are they safe? Did they receive the message from Luffy? How was his captain doing after such tragic events and loss of his brother? Will he be okay? Will he become victim of vengeance? Would he endure it? It wouldn´t turn out same way it turned out for Zoro, right? No. Luffy knows better than let grief consume him.

“Zoro…Can I ask you a question?” Hanzo asked.

“Um. Yes. Of course,” Zoro cautiously nodded.

“Did you have a sibling? Brother or sister?”

“Ummm…I had a sibling, brother. But I am sure, he wasn´t my real sibling. My parents had only me. But I called him brother. He called me brother…” boy went silent.

“You looked up to him. He was your brother figure,” it wasn´t question.

“Yes. But, I think, we called each other brothers for different reason…” Zoro mused.

“Different reason?”

“Yes. Just like in monastery, they call each other brothers and sisters. Something similar was between my brother and me.”

“Was he monk?”

“I think so. Term “Iris” was not new thing for me to hear. My brother often used it in sentences. He also used lot of Buddhism terms. He taught me,” boy said. “Mr. Zenyatta said that meditations could help me remember. That´s why I meditated with him. to remember.”

“Do you remember his name?” Hanzo softly asked.

“Sora. He was called Sora.”

“Such beautiful name.”

“Yeah. Sky. He liked to watch sky. Said it calmed him down.”

“How did you meet him?” Alexandra asked curiously.

She was met with silence. Zoro was quiet. Looking at his hands, folded in his lap.

“…he…he was…given to me…” he whispered.

“Given to you? How?”

“I told you, that I was born on the ship, right? I was son of captain of that ship. As far as I can remember, I was lonely. On the ship, there were no other children. Father´s underlings were not nice to me, even though I was their captain son. Most of days I stayed in my room, training.

One day, father called for me, saying that he has gift to me. The gift was Sora. Sora was traveling disciple, monk. Father said, that he rescued him from slavers. And as payback, Sora asked to be part of crew. Father saw opportunity for me to have company, so he given disciple to me. He started to teach me how to write, how to read, he taught me lot of things,” Zoro smiled.

“You said he was rescued from slavers? Why?” Reinhardt asked, angry at word “slavers”.

“Ah, yes. I forgot to mention it,” Zoro looked ashamed at himself. “Sora was merman. If I remember correctly, he was moray eel merman.”

“And I assume merfolk is very high on slave market, right?” Hanzo asked.

“Yes, they are...wait a minute…no…” mumbled Zoro, looking as he was deeply thinking about something.

“Is something wrong?” Russian woman asked.

“Yes, there is one problem. Last time I saw price list of all species, which was week and few days ago, it was different than prices I remember from time I was child…at least averages starting prices were different…”

“Do you want to talk about it? We won’t force you, if you don’t want,” Shimada said.

Zoro nodded, falling silent. He knew something was off when he saw price list in Archipelago Slave Market. Why mermen and fishmen prices dropped so low? They used to be high. Very high. Aren´t they worthy enough to have higher standard starting price than one million? It used to be forty million for both. And for especially pretty ones it nearly bordered with starting price for young mermaids. Even older mermaids had higher prices. Still lower than young ones, but it was high enough. Female Giants? Same thing. Why were they less worthy than their male counterparts? Why so many things changed?

“And Sora, was he okay to be given to child?” Zarya carefully asked, not wanting to sound accusing.

“I remember, that the moment my father said, that Sora is mine, Sora was beaming like sun.”

“He was happy to be given to child?”

“Better given to child than to adult crewmember. Father´s underlings were not the nicest batch of people. Child is more empathic. And I was happy to have company. Sora declared me his brother and made his life purpose to make sure I was alright. He took very good care of me. Even father was happy.”

“You said he was Moray Eel merman. What kind?” Reinhardt asked, curious.

“Skeletor eel. His tail was black and white, shiny.”

They were discussing about lot of things. Zoro turned their conversation from Sora and his world to his three companions, their stories. Reinhardt choose to tell Zoro about places and countries he visited. Zarya joined, talking about her travels. Hanzo also redounded some of his journeys around the world. Zoro listened. It was nice. For hours they were talking, laughing, sometimes frowning.

“ **Oh nein, sieh dir die Zeit an!** We spend nearly six hours out here! We should return in base!” giant man shouted.

“Yes, we should do that,” other three agreed.

 

* * *

 

Quartet returned in time of dinner. Therefore, their destination was cantina. The moment they stepped in, blur of pink and orange stopped them in the entrance.

“Hanzooo! Where did you take Zoro?! Mercy said that you were showing him facilities!!

“Yea, luv! We were practically everywhere! And we couldn´t find you!!”

“Lucio wanted to meet him!! You just can´t take him all for yourself!!”

Hana and Lena whined loudly, while others in cantina laughed.

“Oh, how horrible person I am,” older Shimada dramatically gasped. “I took person outside. Ooh, such tragedy, he could´ve burn alive. Or I could do something horrible to him.”

“Hanzo! You wouldn´t…”

“Brother! Your sarcasm is appearing!” his cyborg brother shouted from middle of cantina.

“So be it!” archer shouted back.

Zoro laughed. Loudly laughed. This was so domestic. So nostalgic. Just like on Thousand Sunny. Conversations between his crewmates. Conversations with his crewmates. _´Just wait New World. Once we are back together, we are coming for you. You better be prepared for us,´_ he though.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading this chapter (◕‿◕✿)  
> I hope, you enjoyed it. And, I am very sorry for parts with technology in it.
> 
> (☞ﾟ∀ﾟ)☞ Little translation box:  
> Es tut mir leid - I am sorry  
> Så vänta! - could be translate into "Wait a minute!"  
> великолепно (velikolepno) - in my langage it means "awesome"  
> проклятые машины (proklyatyye mashiny) - damned machines  
> Oh nein, sieh dir die Zeit an! - Oh no, look at the time!


	6. Chapter 6

Following morning Zoro woke up very early. He glanced at watches, which Angela had installed in his room. It read 5:30. The room was uncharacteristically hot. He knew something was wrong. When he went sleep yesterday, the room was cool. Climatized. So why is it so hot? Weather? Loud thunder and sound of rain answered his question. _´No. It´s not weather. It´s pouring outside. Why I am feeling so hot? Could it be…? Oh no! No! No, it can´t be! Not now!´_ Zoro started panicking. _´Oh no. No, no, no, no! I am defenceless! Whoever came in here and will be by chance Alpha, they will take me. I´m here like on silver platter…No! Zoro, stop thinking like that! They don´t know anything about dynamics. They wouldn´t hurt you, right? You are their guest. Doctor Ziegler will take look after me. She won’t let anything happen to me, right? Yes, she won’t…But what if…No! Stop! Don´t think negatively! You are strong, Zoro, strong. Fierce. Dangerous. People fear you. Pirates fear you. Marines fear you. You cannot let this weaken you. It´s just heat. It will past. You will be back to normal in three or five days. It´s nothing. You are stronger that heat, Zoro. You´re stronger!´_

The heat of his body was rising and need too. But Zoro was not budging. He would not let this stupid heat beat him. To be more comfortable, he snuggled to his blanket. He tried fell asleep, at least tried to nap.

At 8:00 Zoro woke up to Hana knocking on the door.

“Zoro-dongsaeng! Are you up?“ she asked.

Young swordsman incoherently mumbled something, feeling too hot to speak. He knew Hana couldn´t hear him.

“Dongsaeng, I´m coming in,” she called while opening door.

She couldn´t sense it, but if in base was any Alpha from Zoro´s world, they would be nearly insane from lust. And they would try to invade the room and force themselves on Omega inside. After whole ordeal, they would drag Zoro out and to nearest brothel. He had seen it. He had seen it and he didn´t want it to ever happen to him.

Zoro looked at Hana as she came to his bed. She looked at him, frowning. Then she crouched, so she could see eye to eye with him.

“What happened, Zoro? Are you feeling good? Does dongsaeng need something? Should I take you to Mercy?”

_´Mercy? Ah, doctor Ziegler´s nickname,´_ Zoro though. Then he mumbled something incoherent, while nodding.

Hana helped him get into his wheelchair. Or better, pushing and pulling into his wheelchair. Because their height difference, clear weight difference and thanks to fact that Zoro was practically unable to move his body properly, Hana had trouble to get him in there. But she managed. When the quest number one was completed, she moved to quest number two: Get Zoro to infirmary. She carefully got wheelchair out of the room. Once outside, she strolled towards medical bay.

 

* * *

 

Just as they were passing next to cantina, young brown skinned man stopped them.

“D.Va! Where ya rushing?” he asked.

“Oh. Hi Lúcio. I need to get to Mercy. Zoro looks like he has a fever,” she said.

“Zoro?” he looked at person in wheelchair. “Ah, you are Zoro. Nice to meet´ya, man.”

“Greetings,” Zoro forced himself to say as he lifted his hand.

“You don´t look very good. Mercy is in Torb´s workshop. But…you know, Hana, that you could have called her, right?”

“…Oops. I guess, I forgot. Silly me,” young Korean said.

“I am calling her,” Lúcio said as he pulled out communicator.

Zoro watched young male while he was talking, certainly, with doctor Ziegler. The device was functioning similarly as DenDenMushi.

“…at the infirmary. See you there, Mercy.”

“Off we go!” Hana called as she started pushing the wheelchair.

 

* * *

 

When they came there, Angela was already there. She must had run all the way there, because her cheeks were red and she was catching her breath. When she saw them, she greeted them and opened door.

“Come in! Come in!” she ushered them inside. Once they were, she continued, “I will give Zoro full examination. We need to know what it is. It could be anything. From simple cold, to some disease from his world. So, for safety of all, I need you two to leave. Don´t worry, he will be in good hands.”

Hana did protest a little, but Lúcio lead her out of the room, saying “It´s the best we can do”.

Once they were out, Angela turned to Zoro, with notebook in her hand.

“Hello, Zoro. How are you feeling?” she asked nicely.

“Hot,” was her answer.

“Okay,” she wrote it down. “Do you feel any pain? In your stomach? Head? Eyes?”

“Body…Numb...Painful”

She noted it in her papers, “Anything else?”

“Dizzy…Drunk.”

“You feel lightheaded?” she asked and Zoro nodded.

“To me, it looks like higher fever. I will give you medication that will help you…”

“No,” Zoro said as he shook his head.

“No? But Zoro, these medications will surely help you,” Angela tried to reason with him.

“Won´t help. Not for this,” he continued shaking his head.

“Then, please, tell me what it is. I can´t help you, if I don´t know, what it is.”

“Heat.”

“Heat? Isn´t that fever?”

“No. This is…Omega thing…” Zoro looked away.

“Please, elaborate. What does this mean for Omega, for you?”

“My body…is telling…all Alphas, that…I´m ready…” he mumbled.

“Ready to have an offspring?” she whispered.

“I´m not ready…not ready…I don´t want…I don´t,” Zoro said.

“Don´t worry. I won´t let anything happen to you,” she suddenly hugged boy, because he needed it. He needed a hug. “How long this will last? And who is able to be with you without any problems? To keep you company.”

“Three…or five days…Zenyatta…Hana and Jamison…”

There was welcoming silence, while doctor was writing things in her notebook. Zoro was focusing on his breath. In. Out. In. Out. _´It´s all right. Doctor Ziegler won´t anything happens to me. After this, she will surely have lot of questions,´_ he though.

“I´m still giving you the examination.”

_´Fuck.´_

 

* * *

 

Fortunately for Zoro, his heat lasted three days. And he hopped it will stay on those three days. Angela put him in quarantine. Besides her, as his doctor, only other habitants of the base, who could come in the room, were those, who were deemed save by Zoro. They were switching their shifts, but they never left Zoro alone in his quarantine. Hana and Jamison were with him mostly during the day, bringing him breakfast, then one of them left to bring in lunch and in the evening dinner. Zenyatta stayed with him during night. Occasionally during these three days, he could sense unknow Alpha, lingering round the quarantine. This person never entered the room, but was always close, as if they were guarding him. Their scent disappeared when Hana, Jamison, Zenyatta or doctor Ziegler went into the quarantine or out. Only to reappear shortly after. When boy first noticed, he was little startled, but soon, surely caused by his hormone filled brain, he felt warmth inside his chest whenever he could sense the scent of this unknown Alpha.

On first day, Hana brought her games with her, teaching Zoro how to play, while Jamison laughed at face of pure horror on greenette´s face as he didn´t understand anything Korean girl said. After good five minutes, Junker pointed out, that Hana was speaking in Gamer Language, full of acronyms and game terms, poor Zoro didn´t know. Young star apologised, starting again, but slowly and fully in one language. Jamison, for change, didn´t talk about bombs or explosions. He wanted to know more about Zoro´s world. So, they were talking about Zoro´s adventures before the crew and with the crew.

Doctor Ziegler came in the evening, checking if everything was alright. After her, nearly at eleven, Zenyatta entered chaos. He shooed two humans out of the room, saying both Zoro and they need rest, before they will continue next day. Omnic monk then stayed with young swordsman whole night. He even offered night meditations, if Zoro had troubles falling asleep. It was not needed, because moment boy hit the pillow, he was sleeping.

On the second day, Zenyatta left room after both Hana and Jamison came in with big tray full of food and assuring Omnic, that if anything happened, they will call either him or doctor Ziegler. This time, instead of playing videogames, they watched movies and videos on the Internet. Some were good, some were bad, some were in between and some were rightfully horrible. But few of all things they watched, he really liked. Then they were talking how people in swordsman´s world entertained themselves.

Angela came again in the evening, checking if anything changed. After her, Zenyatta came and everything repeated as night before.

On third day, Zoro started to feel a little better. Nothing really changed in their routine as they continued talking and playing games.

Finally, on the fourth day, Zoro did not feel hot nor dizzy. He knew his Heat was now over. He told doctor Ziegler and she made quick check up. After she deemed him as healthy as he was before his Heat, she let him out of quarantine.

 

* * *

 

The moment wheels of his wheelchair crossed the invisible line between hallway and cantina, Zoro was flocked by nearly everyone. Questions were shot at him from left and right. Everybody, save for Hana, Jamison and Zenyatta, were looking worried.

**“Мальчик, мы беспокоились о тебе!”** Zarya shouted in Russian, Zoro´s translator immediately translating it.

“I´m sorry.”

“Mercy said we couldn´t see you! That you were in quarantine! Only she and three others could see you! Why not me?! I´m hurt!” Lena whined.

“Ms Oxton, please, control yourself,” Hanzo whispered. “He surely had his reasons why he allowed only three people to see him… four with doctor Ziegler.”

Zoro looked around. There wasn´t everyone. Three people were missing. He didn´t see grumpy Marine wannabe, cowboy and Hanzo´s younger brother, Genji.

“ **Ano** …Where are others?” he asked.

“What? Ah, you mean Jack, Jessie and Genji?” Ana asked, with Zoro answered with nod. “They are on missions. We got some intel about criminal gangs. Jack took Jessie with him. Winston send Genji after them.”

“Better save than sorry, I always say,” gorilla scientist said.

“Oh. Okay,” Zoro then fell silent.

“Don´t worry, we won´t ask you, what was the problem or why was you in quarantine,” that was said by Reinhardt and Zoro just nodded.

Soon enough everyone returned to what they were before Zoro came. Eating their breakfast. Young swordsman also joined in this activity. Believe it or not, he was quite hungry. Heat can leave you hungry. And this was his very first heat, so he was extra hungry. Young boy filled his plate with few things, mostly fruit, because, let´s keep it real, neither Jamison nor Hana eat fruit for breakfast and Zoro started to miss it. And he was getting fed up with all those sugary cereals.

While eating, Zoro noticed something. He was nervous. Very nervous. And being nervous was rare for him. He was sneakily looking at remaining Shimada at base. He was one hundred percent sure that the man was Alpha. Therefore, there was no mistake, that man could sense his pheromone induced scent past those three days. And, at least he thought, he was the very Alpha that was standing as guard outside his quarantine. But why would he do that? Why would he not take the chance and force himself at vulnerable Omega? Wait…what was he thinking about?! He should be happy that no one tried something like that. He is not ready for anything! So, why? Why was he thinking these things? _´This does not make any sense. Why would I even want to think about this? And about Shimada-san, on top of that! Not that he isn´t handsome…No! Stop it, brain! We are not thinking about him in that way!´_ Zoro scolded himself.

 

* * *

 

Doctor Ziegler came to him with smile on her lips.

“Zoro! I have great news for you!” she said happily.

“What it is?” boy looked at her intrigued.

“We finished your prosthetics. They are ready for you. But!” she quickly added, as she saw boy was starting to move towards exit of cantina. “But we want you to see them sooner than we attach them on your legs. We want be sure you will be satisfied with them.”

“ **Hai!** Ye **i!** I **unders** tand! **Can** we go **no** w?! Are bo **th** **Mr** **Lind** holm **and Ms Va** swani **alright wit** h it?!” Zoro was talking so quickly, that his translator couldn´t keep up with him.

“Slower! Please!” Angela laughed.

“Yes! I understand! Can we go now?! Are both Mr Torbjörn and Mrs Vaswani alright with it?!”

“Of course, they are. They are waiting for you. And I must say, they maybe finally buried the war axe between them,” she smiled.

They left cantina, quickly making their way towards workshop. Zoro was happy. No. He was beyond happy. He was ecstatic. He was given chance to walk again. If something like this happened back home, he would be abandoned. He would be declared useless. Not by his captain, no, but by everyone else. Luffy would just say, that Zoro would find the way how to be useful again. But others? Cook would be sending him glares mixed with pity and sneers, mocking him every moment he gets. Nami would be charging him for, how would she call it…oh right… “their hospitality”. Chopper…even though Zoro liked the small reindeer, their doctor would be behind his back all the time, making sure he wasn´t doing anything dangerous. Life would be difficult for him. Maybe Franky could offer, that he would make him new legs. But knowing their cyborg engineer, those legs would be anything but legs. There would be surely some hidden pistols or something. Zoro didn´t need anything like that.

“We are here, Zoro,” Angela said as they came to entrance of the workshop.

She knocked and few seconds after door opened with Satya standing before them. Her lips quirked upwards as she let them in. On table, there were two closed cases. Torbjörn was sitting next to the table, also smiling, looking very proud. He patted one of the cases, his smile widening.

“Welcome back, lad!” he said with joyous voice.

“Greeting Ms Vaswani, Mr Lindholm,” Zoro politely greet them with short head bow. “How are you today?”

“Very well, Zoro. Thank you for asking. We´ve heard about your three-day quarantine. I hope that you are now doing better,” Satya said, while Torbjörn nodded.

“I´m doing fine, thank you.”

“Torbjörn, could you show our little patient what have we´ve been working on. He was practically sprinting on that wheelchair on our way here. I swear, he could take part on Paralympics. He would surely take the gold medals,” Angela laughed.

“Paralympics?” boy questioned.

“We will tell you later. Now, let´s take a look at these beauties,” Torbjörn said as he pointed at cases.

Zoro nodded, pushing himself closer to the table. Satya opened the first case. And Zoro was looking at nearly perfect copy of legs. They were simple. Lines around the ankles, above the toes, and at other places foot would normally bend. Both prosthetics ended at their proper lengths, left one was shorter than the right one. On their ends, they were thick metallic bands, clips…whatever they were, Zoro couldn´t name them. But he liked them. Prosthetics were simple, he couldn´t see anything like mini rocket launchers or guns or flamethrowers. He was relieved. The material which was used was made in light colour, that could blend with his actual skin. But…there was a little thing Zoro didn´t like. It was the way how they were designed. It would be clearer than water that these were fake legs. One look would suffice to know that. If they were the same height, it would be harder to claim they were prosthetics. And Zoro wanted to hide this fact from his crew, from other pirates, from Marines…from his father.

“Well, what do you say?” Torbjörn asked, sounding little impatient.

All three of the makers were looking at him in anticipation. Zoro shifted a little.

“They are nice. Really nice…” boy nervously said.

“There is a but,” Satya said, frowning a little.

“I´m very sorry. I like them, but they empower that I´m missing limbs…”

“Is it the different height?” doctor Ziegler asked.

Zoro nodded, looking at the floor. There was a silent moment, during which was heard a quiet **_“Till helvetet”_** from small man. Lady architect quickly covered her smirk with hand. Zoro nearly snorted. What had doctor Ziegler said before they came here? Burring their war axe? No. This was competitions between the two of them. The content of the first case was created by Mr Lindholm. And the content of second case was made by Ms Vaswani. Angela was mere help when it came to artificial muscles, or how did they call it. These two engineers were measuring their…uhm…abilities…yes, their abilities.

“Good thing we made two pairs of prosthetics,” Satya said as she opened second case.

And when Zoro saw their content, he gasped. Pair of the fake legs, that were inside, were perfect. They were little more complicated than the first pair, but boy didn´t mind. The first thing, he noticed, was that both legs were identical. Same design, same height, same everything. They looked like fancy pair of boots. Only thing that troubled Zoro, was their colour. They were pitch black, with dark blue lines from ring around the knees, down towards the ankle, mimicking shin bones, surrounding the ankle, separating heel from rest of the foot, and few centimetres above the toes. These could be also easily recognised as fake legs. But they looked so cool.

“What is on your mind, Zoro?” Angela asked.

“These are…perfect…but the colour…wouldn´t it be too obvious?”

“Ha!” blonde man shouted.

Satya actually laughed and said, “Oh, don´t worry about it. I had thought of it. I am not claimed to be prodigy in Vishkar Corporation for nothing. You see, the outer coating around the prosthetics is the most revolutionary micro technology that we, architects and engineers of Vishkar, made. It´s similar to chameleon ability to change colour of the it´s skin to blend with it´s surroundings. When it will be connected to your nerve system, it will take colour of your skin. Any changes that happen to your skin, it will happen to your prosthetics. If you like them more inn this default look, you can deactivate synchronisation. You can turn it on and off anytime you want.”

“The metallic looking contraptions, what are they for and what are they made of?” Zoro asked, clearly interested in this pair of fake legs.

“Those contraptions around the calves and around knees are for securing the links between your flesh and nerves and the wiring of the prosthetics. They look weak and thin, but trust me, they will do their objective. As for the material I used in making these, I used type of surgical steel, the 316 stainless steel, also referred as marine grade stainless steel, a…” she was interrupted by Torbjörn.

“How, in the Valhalla, did you get your hands on that?!”

“I have my ways, Lindholm. But if you didn´t use stainless steel, what did you use?”

“Titanium?”

“Well, good for you, I guess,” she said. “Let´s get back to what I wanted to say before Lindholm rudely interrupted me. This is the perfect type of steel, for everything you asked for. It´s non-corrosive, resistant to fire, of course mind the fact that everything has it´s limits, don´t try to test it in lava. It can withstand the great pressure, but also here, mid the limits. This is not that important, but it´s easy to clean. Anything else to ask?”

Zoro looked at the case again. He was watching it for few seconds, before noticing the lever looking things under the knee decorations. He pointed at them.

“Those levers. Are they movable?”

“Yes, they are.”

“Perfect! I was wondering how will I fit them into the boots, but now, my problem is solved. Thank you very much,” Zoro bowed as much as his sitting position allowed him.

“I take it, you already choose, right, Zoro?” Angela asked.

“Yeah. But, Ms Vaswani, I bet, it cost very much…How could I repay you for your hard work?” he looked at lady before him.

“Hmm…I was thinking of taking you with me to India, to Vishkar Corporation…”

“Satya! He can´t go there. He could…”

“He could what, doctor Ziegler? Hurt himself? I wanted to take him there, to expanse his knowledge about technology. And I can´t teach him about that here. I need my equipment. What I have here is only small portion of my implements. On top of that, I´m not Overwatch agent, I am Vishkar employee. We may have all same enemy in Talon, but, don’t forget where majority of us come from,” Satya said, crossing arms over her chest.

Angela was looking at her, little dejected. But she knew Indian woman was right. She has no say in this. Zoro wanted to repay Satya, and she said her price. Swiss doctor was forced to bite her tongue down. What would happen, if boy had chosen Torbjörn´s creation. No matter what, young swordsman would want to repay Swedish man too. What would Torbjörn ask for? But that doesn’t matter now.

“I understand,” she finally said. “But it´s on Zoro now, if he accepts…”

“I agree,” boy simply said.

“Very well.”

“Wait!” Angela said. “What about whole operation? Who will attach prosthetics?”

“You do not have to worry, doctor Ziegler. At Vishkar, we have surgeons who are specialized in attaching prosthetics. I know you wanted to do that,” Satya said.

She didn´t need to end that sentence. Angela understood. There was unsaid _´You are not forced to do everyone´s job, relax a little and let others do it´_. She nodded.

“Excellent.”

“Um…Ms Vaswani…when do you going to…In-di-a? Did I pronounce it right?”

“I planned to go back home tomorrow. Why are you asking, Zoro? Should I prolong my stay here?”

“Ah…no, no. Just wanted to ask Zenyatta-san, if he could come with me. For the meditations. I still have much to remember. And much to learn. Would it be problem, if he tags along?” he said.

“Personally, I have no problems with it. But go ask him now. It´s up to him, if he wants to or not,” Satya said.

Zoro nodded, strolling out of the workshop, leaving other three behind.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Thank you for reading (◕‿◕✿) I hope you liked it.  
> And it finally came...heat! I dropped it on you just like that. That's one thing I will do more often. Just drop it on you. Just like that. I may hint it in one chapter, but it's never clear when it really happens ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯  
> And all heats that will happen in the future will be summarized like this or just mentioned.
> 
> (☞ﾟ∀ﾟ)☞ Little translation box:  
> Мальчик, мы беспокоились о тебе! - We were worried about you!  
> Till helvetet! - To hell!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story is finally moving fowards. And I have feeling, that I should repeat this from time to time. So:  
> 1) I do not have a beta reader, so I apologise in advance for any grammar mistake ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯  
> 2) I do NOT own Overwatch neither One Piece. Overwatch belongs to Blizzard and One Piece to Oda Eiichiro
> 
> Put on your reading glasses (•_•) ( •_•)>⌐■-■ (⌐■_■) and happy reading!!

It didn´t take much to get Zenyatta agree to come with them to India. Omnic monk agreed right after Zoro asked. He confessed, that he wanted to take Zoro back to Nepal, to Shambali Shrine. Zoro laughed at that. Satya then took Zenyatta aside, talking about her plans and other things that were closely tied with their depart from Gibraltar base.

Zoro spend his last day on the base with everybody. They were coming to him, looking little sad, that he was leaving. But everybody was happy that he will be able to walk again.

The younger part of the base was whining, mainly Hana, Lena and Jamison. After talk down by none other than Hanzo, they shut up. Lúcio was little irritated about whole “going to the Vishkar Corporation” thing. Zoro left it be, because frankly, it was not his business. He wasn´t there to solving problems of the other people. Back on the Grand Line, he was only involved, because his captain couldn´t keep his hands out of it. Witch wasn´t their problem, but Luffy declared that Nami was their navigator and was too headstrong to budge. And in other situations, too. After whole Going Merry fiasco and Usopp leaving the crew, Zoro had to step in, otherwise Luffy would go after long nose, welcoming him back, forgetting that there was ever any fight. And when he said that, the witch had nerve to disagree. He got that she doesn´t like him, but come on. She must have at least a little of rational thinking. _´Well, she had declared me as primitive, so I guess anything I say has no weight,´_ he bitterly thought.

 

* * *

 

Evening came quicker than he anticipated. He was on the way towards his room when somebody stopped him.

“Zoro, please, wait,” the deep voice called after him.

Zoro turned, facing older Shimada. Wait, no. Not facing the man, but facing said man´s stomach. Boy blushed, wheeling back few steps. He looked at archer. There was something different about man. He looked more…stylized? More traditional? Could he call it like that? Instead of his usual casual attire composing of fitting jeans with printed dragon on his behind…Zoro admits it was very nice dragon…very nice…dragon…yes…ehm…white undershirt and black leather jacket over that, which looked very cool on him, along with black and white sneakers, he was greeted by different look. What was archer wearing now was very new to Zoro. Very new and very…could he call it attractive? Hanzo has his prosthetic-ly looking boots, he was wearing cut black hakama with seigaiha pattern, which was tucked in the knee pieces of his boots. On top of that, he had something that looked close to kimono. Only short. Short kimono? Something like that? Older Shimada was wearing black short kimono. That top was held together by blue obi. What made Zoro blush, was the fact, that half of man´s upper body was revealed. Young man had full view at Shimada´s pectoralis major and his left arm. Which were covered by sleeve tattoo. And very beautiful tattoo. Zoro immediately though of his father, who had tattoos done in similar style. Around Hanzo´s arm was coiled majestic imperial dragon, surrounded by storm clouds and lightning. The tail sat on pectoralis and head was placed on top of his wrist. The whole piece was beautiful. So majestic. So perfect. So…nostalgic.

“…ro? Zoro? Are you alright?” Hanzo was waving hand in front of his face.

“Ah! Oh! Yes! Yes, I am,” Zoro nearly shouted.

“That´s good. I would like to talk to you for a bit,” archer requested.

“Oh, alright. What would you like to talk about?”

“Not here. Somewhere private. Maybe in your room, if that´s alright with you.”

“O…kay,” Zoro said hesitantly.

 

* * *

 

Once in room, Hanzo asked Zoro to turn off his translator. Boy was little surprised. What would be so important, to had him turn off his communication device.

**“So, what´s matter?”** he asked.

**“It´s little intrusive from me. Those three days you were in quarantine…you were in Heat, weren´t you?”** archer asked in soft voice.

Zoro froze. He was sure only people who knew of his condition were doctor Ziegler and Zenyatta. They didn´t even told Hana and Jamison true reason what was wrong with him. Only that it´s sickness from his world and they are immune to it, therefore they were able to make him company. They bought it. Same thing was said to other habitants of the base. And lady doctor said they also bought it. So how Hanzo knew he was in Heat.

**“How…How do you…”**

**“…know? The first day, Miss Song was wheeling you into the medical bay. I sensed the smell. I could tell. But I didn´t know that was you. After you didn´t show at lunch, I was suspicious, and after dinner I was sure…”**

Zoro was terrified. Horrified. _´This feeling filling every part of my body, what is this? Is this fear? Terror? Dread? I don´t like it. I don´t like it!´_ he though.

**“Wait! Are you the person that was lingering outside the room?!”** he blurted out, quickly covering his mouth when he realized he shouted.

**“…Yes, that was me,”** Hanzo said quietly after moment of silence.

**“Why did you do that? Were you trying to get inside? If yes, why didn´t you?”** Zoro whispered.

**“It was never my intention. I didn´t want to hurt you. I was just standing as guard, I swear,”** man said with so much honesty, boy couldn´t help but trust him on this.

**“How is it possible? Doctor Ziegler said, there weren´t any dynamics in this world. How could you be and Alpha?”**

**“I am not.”**

**“What?! But if you are not, you could not sense it! You must be!”**

**“I am not,”** Hanzo repeated with calm voice.

**“But you smell like one!”** boy was having none of that. He was panicking. Tears were gathering in his eyes. This man was Alpha! He was sure of that! **“How?! How did you resist the smell?! It´s impossible to resist! You should have been banging on the door! Demanding the entrance! So why! Why didn´t you!”**

Hanzo was looking at boy before him with sad eyes. He shouldn´t open this conversation. He should know better. Now, look what he caused. His dragons were agreeing with him, while chiding him. _´You should wait.´ ´You should be more patient.´ ´Fix this.´ ´Make it better.´ ´Stop his crying.´ ´Make him smile.´ ´How, o mighty dragons? How should I help him? He does not believe me,´_ Hanzo asked his spirits. _´Tell him about clan.´ ´Yes, yes. Tell him about you.´ ´And in addition about you two?´ ´Yes.´_

**“Zoro. Will you listen to me for the moment?”** he asked, making sure his voice was soft and calm.

Boy looked at him. Tears were drying on his cheeks.

**“I will tell you something very, very important. I need you to listen to me very carefully, alright?”**

Zoro nodded. And older Shimada started talking. He talked and talked. About his family, his clan. About it´s ancestors. About legends of two dragon brothers. Then he talked about himself. His childhood. His teenage years. his whole life. And Zoro listened. He listened to everything Hanzo said.

**“T-that…”**

**“I know, it sounds absurd. But I can prove you, that it´s truth.”**

**“How?”**

**“Like this,”** Hanzo said as his tattoo started glow.

Zoro gasped. Fascinated, he watched as two glowing masses have risen from archer´s skin. They swirled around each other, before completely separating themselves from arm. Tattoo dimmed, while glowing mass was getting definitive shapes. They were, somehow, similar to snakes. One pair of legs sprouted from each mass. Pair of beautiful long horns grew out of their heads. And with them, golden mane grew from head, running down their backs and ended with long strands of golden beauty on the tail. The creatures that formed on front of Zoro´s eyes were the very sacred spirits of Shimada clan, dragons.

Boy was shocked. Such beauty. Such elegance. They were majestic. Their blue scales, complimented by golden mane, shined. Even in artificial light. Their eyes were stormy grey, with slit pupils. Zoro couldn´t help it, he had to try to touch them. His hand crept closer towards dragons. They were watching him with their beautiful eyes. Boy held his arm in air, suddenly not brave enough to finish his intentions. But it wasn´t needed. One of the majestic beasts bumped its head into his outstretched palm. Dragon´s head was as big as one of adult cat. Second dragon followed its kin steps and bumped head into hand. Zoro forgot himself and where he was. He was only focusing on dragons and their petting.

It took full five minutes for Zoro to came back to his senses. He looked at Hanzo, who was watching him with caring look. Dragons flew back towards Hanzo, making themselves comfy in his lap.

**“How?”**

**“The reason how am I able to summon them is mystery even for me and it was mystery for clan. No one knows, how are we able to use them. They are not made from hard light. They are not typical projections. They are truly here.”**

**“I can fell it. My hands are touching real scales. Real mane. Real horns.”**

**“Yes.”**

**“You said, that main line of your clan was always in some way better than other people, right?”**

**“Yes. We are more agile. Our senses are sharper than senses of other people. Only augmented ones, like Jack Morrison, have same senses as us.”**

**“I though you were Alpha. You felt like one. But my Heat pheromones had no effect on you.”**

**“I smelled your Heat scent. It was very pleasant. But it wasn´t making me crazy, like Alphas from your world would get.”**

**“But from where you know of the term “Heat”?”**

**“Dragons told me. They recognized it from somewhere.”**

**“They talk to you?”** Zoro raised a brow.

**“Telepathically. They are, after all, in my mind and body.”**

**“Are there more people like you in this world? Alphas who are not really Alphas?”**

**“I am entirely sure. There was program to make super soldiers, whose senses are augmented, but if there are any other countries with upgraded people…I think you could call us “Pseudo-Alphas”. Or “Lesser Alphas”.”**

**“No. You are better…”**

**“Zoro. We are not better than anyone. Had it been anyone else in the base, they would be banging on your door and demanding entrance. I happen just to have enormous self-control.”**

**“Someone like your brother? McCree? Morrison?”**

**“Genji? No. He has eyes for Zenyatta. Or was it doctor Ziegler? Now I don´t know. Morrison? No. That man is more interested in catching Talon agents and commanding others than that. And McCree? That one is hard to read. Genji worked with him, he said, and assured me, that McCree is good guy. But if he wasn´t on mission during your Heat, I don´t know what would he do.”**

**“He has strange air around him.”**

Hanzo chuckled, **“You may be right.”**

Zoro could feel his nerves relax. He was in no danger. Archer really didn´t want to hurt him. he wanted to make sure boy was alright. It was nice gesture. Dragons by now disappeared, leaving blue energy hover there for a while, then disappearing. Zoro looked back at older man.

**“You want to talk about something else?”** he asked.

**“Well…I have little request,”** older Shimada said.

**“Hmm?”**

**“Could I come with you to India?”**

**“You want to come with me? Why?”** Zoro asked suspiciously.

**“I just need reason for leaving this base,”** Hanzo blurted out.

**“Really? Aren´t you agent here?”**

**“Oh no, I am not. I am here only because Genji asked me to. To tell truth, I don´t trust anyone who is from Overwatch. And they definitely don´t trust me. After all, I am the reason why Genji look like that. I…”**

**“…you did what you were told to do.”**

**“But I should not kill my own blood…”**

**“While I agree with not killing your blood, remember, you were the clan head. Its Leader. Its Captain. And you said you tried reason with him. He didn´t want to listen.”**

**“How can you speak of this so lightly?”**

**“I´m a pirate. My father was Captain of pirate crew. I was practically raised to take after him…which would be never…I had seen lot of shitty things. Before I was recruited to crew I am now in, I was bounty hunter. Hell, Marines and Pirates alike gave me nickname “Pirate Hunter Zoro”. “**

**“And reason?”**

**“Hunger. Sadness. Anger,”** Zoro looked in his lap. **“I never called myself Pirate Hunter. I never did it for pleasure of catching law breakers. I thought, it was way to get closer to ones, on who I wanted pay for…”**

**“If it´s something personal and hurtful, you don´t have to tell me.”**

**“…thank you.”**

Room was filled with silence. After few moments, Zoro broke it.

**“Well, I have no problems with you coming with us.”**

**“Thank you.”**

**“Just one more thing,”** boy said.

**“Yes?”**

**“What with the outfit?”**

**“I wanted to see, if I still fit in,”** archer lightly smirked and swordsman laughed.

With that, Hanzo stood up and went to door. He wished Zoro good night and exited room.

 

* * *

 

Next morning quartet stood in hall, all their things prepared in backpacks or suitcases. They were clothed casually. Hana gave Zoro someone´s jeans she had found somewhere. He wore his usual white shirt and green haramaki. Hanzo was also wearing jeans, along with white shirt and dark blue V-sweater over it. His hair were not tied with his golden sash, cloth, kerchief? That was tied around his waist, under the sweater. Zenyatta, for instance, was clothed in simple yellow pants with stripped black and white long-sleeved t-shirt. At question why, he answered that his should blend with the crow. Ms Vaswani was clothed in smart casual attire. She wore light blue shirt which was tucked in black pencil skirt. Over it, she had short black sleeveless vest.

Lady architect was talking with somebody trough communicator in different language. When she finished, she turned to other three.

“Vishkar Aircraft is stationed at Malaga International Airport. I´ve got permission to use teleporter to get us there. Vishkar Corporation has the branch office at the airport, which is now connecting me to their locator,” she explained.

“It´s not possible to teleport straight to India?” Zoro asked.

“Oh no, Zoro. There is distance limit on teleporters. And before you ask, yes Vishkar has many branch offices in India, but not in every city. Here in Europe, it´s the amount of branch offices is much thinner,” she explained.

“Then, why is branch office at the airport then?” Zenyatta asked curiously.

“Truly, I, personally, don’t know. There just is,” Satya shrugged.

Her communicator beeped and turned green.

“Alright. I am activating teleporter,” she said as she started perform very elegant moves with her hands and arms.

It looked like short dance. Blue light shined from her left hand, when she made certain move. Then, with another move, gloving oval appeared, supported by metallic…thing. To Zoro, it looked like very simplified lotus.

“It´s time. Zoro, let me take the handles of your wheelchair. It´s precaution. And it will be for only second. Once we are on the airport, you are free to take control of your chair,” architect said as Zoro didn´t look very happy about it.

“Fine. For this moment…” he murmured.

They quickly gathered their baggage. Zoro hugged his swords, which were safely stored in Bokken Bag. On his knees lied case with prosthetics on which laid his very small backpack of spare clothes.

Satya led him towards the portal. Zoro tensed as they entered the oval created from light. There was a flash. Then he heard voices. There were people talking around him. His sight cleared and he looked around. He could say with ease that they weren´t at base anymore _. ´This is what they meant by branch office? It looks here like a shop,´_ Zoro thought. _´And look! There is shop with clothes right in front of this one. And there is restaurant.´_ While Zoro was thinking and noticing his surroundings, Hanzo and Zenyatta came out.

“Buenos días, Ms Vaswani. Welcome to Malaga Branch Office of Vishkar Corporation. I hope there weren´t any problems with transportation,” male voice said.

Zoro turned to see adult man in grey, white, and blue uniform. He had darker complexion. Dark hair gelled back and trimmed beard.

“Greeting, Mr Martinez. No problems had occurred. Thank you for allowing us use the Core,” Satya said as she let off the handles.

Man, Mr Martinez, looked at the group. Then looked into his notebook and nodded.

“Let me escort you to the craft, Miss Vaswani and gentlemen. We can´t have you all lost in this great maze, now can we,” he proposed as he smiled at Satya.

“Why, thank you. That is very kind of you, Mr Martinez,” Ms Vaswani said.

_´Did he just flirted with her?´_ Zoro thought.

They made their way through the airport. Zoro was turning left and right just to see everything. They passed more shops and stores. People around them varied. There were the ones, who were in hurry. The ones, that were not. There were families, small ones, big ones. There were couples, composed by one human and one Omnic. Some stopped and looked at them, as they were passing by. Some literally stared. Some glared, mainly at Ms Vaswani and Mr Martinez. Some glared at Zenyatta. Some were looking nice at Omnic monk. Zoro noticed one human/Omnic couple whisper something in between them and human smiled. ´They must be supporters. They smiled at Zenyatta. The ones who glared, must be against him. Those, who glared at Ms Vaswani and Mr Martinez, must have something against Vishkar Corporation…´ Zoro though.

“Abuela! Why that person has green hair? Why is he sitting?” child´s voice pulled him from his thoughts.

He turned to see owner of the voice. He came to see young girl, maybe five years old. She was standing beside her grandmother, one hundred percent grandmother, who looked shocked. She quickly crouched, to be at same eye level as the girl. Zoro turned back to his group and strolled after them, only hearing voices of the old woman and her granddaughter.

“Noelia! You can´t ask questions like this,” she said softly to her granddaughter.

“Why?” girl asked, clearly didn´t understand.

“It´s not polite, mi mariposa,” woman said, still in soft voice.

She then straightened, turned to boy, only to see he was no longer there. Mr Martinez led them towards the waiting area. There were lot of people, sitting on benches, on their baggage or standing. Some looked very stressed up, others directly angry or annoyed. Their guide took them towards door, no, Hanzo called it “gate”, marked with number 14.

As Ms Vaswani and Mr Martinez were talking with employee, somebody came to them.

“What is meaning of this?!” it was female voice, quite high, and to Zoro, annoying.

“Excuse me?” Satya asked.

“Why are you cutting in line?! Don´t you have dignity?! People here are waiting for their plane and you have nerve to cut in front of all of us!!” her voice was getting louder.

“Please. Madam. We are not cutting in front of any…” Hanzo tried to defend them.

“You, shut up!!” she interrupted him, hissing like angry goose. “Don´t you dare even talk back at or to me!! I bet you are behind this!! You think that you just can cut in and no one will say a thing? Well, surprise! I am saying a thing!! You spiv! You swine! Fucker!!“

She was throwing insults at Shimada, who, for his own safety, choose not to respond. Zenyatta tried to interfere, tried to calm angry woman down, but she was clearly too upset to listen. Then she started throwing fit at two Vishkar employees, who looked very insulted, no surprise there. But they were keeping their professionality.

_Should I do something? Should I threaten her? Could I threaten her? No, that wouldn´t be good idea. Things definitely works different here than in my world. Hmmm…´_ Zoro pondered.

Then, the woman got great idea to turn towards him. “And you! What about you? You´re sitting in that wheelchair, like you are hurt! Look at person when they are talking to you! You must be some punk! Look at your hair! Aren´t you ashamed to have hair like that?!” she was now screeching.

Zoro decided to give her his most vacant stare. She flinched a bit, but quickly regained her composure.

“What are you…”

“You said to look at person that is speaking to me,” he interjected, his translator doing its work. The heavy Japanese accent came out of the machine. “I´m looking at you. If you now tell me to not look at you, you´ll contradict yourself.”

“Why you little…”

“Why me? No. It should be why you? Why are you angry? Why are you harassing us? Why are you only one from the crowd that yell at us?”

“I am talking for every…”

“No, you are not. You are talking only for yourself. Nobody from crowd is joining you.”

“How…”

“…dare I? Because you are delaying my surgery. If you didn´t notice, what I bet you didn´t, I lost both my legs. Sooner we leave here, sooner the surgery will be over. That aside, this “gate” is not even for you. If I am not wrong, your ticket says “Gate 13” not “Gate 14”.”

“You dared to looked at my personal things?!”

“Well, it´s not easy not to, when the ticket is practically in one´s face. So now, you should apologize to everyone in this group. For unjustified insults. For verbal abuse.”

“What?! I don´t need to apologize for anything! I did nothing wrong!!”

After that statement, many people from crowd groaned. Zoro could hear “Oh my god!”, “Oh no!”, “She really just said that?” and similar. Zoro sighted. He turned to Satya.

“This is waste of time, Ms Vaswani. Could we go? Without dealing with this woman?”

“Of course.” They went through the gate, ignoring screaming woman behind them. 

 

* * *

 

Zoro could see the aircraft from window, as they were passing the hall towards vehicle that would transport them to said thing. It was sleek, but in comparison with other aircrafts on the airport, it wasn´t very long. It reached half of their length and it was smaller than other behemoths. It´s wings were at ends pointed upwards, it´s tail quite wide. Near the tail, there were two turbine looking things. Zoro noticed, that other aircrafts had these turbines under and attached to their wings. The colour of the aircraft was pure white, with blue accents and logo of Vishkar Corporation on the side.The vehicle, “bus” Zenyatta said, took them right before the flying thing. On the side, closer to the nose, were prepared stairs. _´They look like they are part of the aircraft,´_ Zoro though. Right next to the stairs Omnic stood. He or she was clothed in same uniform as Mr Martinez.

“Greetings Ms Vaswani and company, I will be your pilot on your way to India. Mr Martinez, thank you for their escort, I will be taking it from here,” Omnic said with deep robotic voice.

“Thank you, Narayan. And greetings to you too,” Satya said.

Their pilot, Narayan, bowed his head as he made way so they could climb the stairs.

“Zoro, should I take you up there? You won´t be able to climb on your wheelchair. I can take you up there and then bring your chair,” Hanzo said quietly.

Boy was quiet for a while, but then silently nodded. Archer lifted Zoro from the chair and followed Satya into the plane. Zenyatta decided he would take the chair, boy´s swords and case. Narayan took everything else that stayed on the ground. Mr Martinez wished good flight and hopped in the bus, returning to his station.

Hanzo seated Zoro in cushioned seat right next to the window. Well, every seat was cushioned, so only important thing was, that the seat was next to the window. Archer turned to see if there was anything he could help with, but everything was already inside. So, he sat opposite to young swordsman.

“How long will it take from here to India?” boy asked.

“About twelve hours. Sometime more, sometime less. It depends on type of plane and if there are any stops during the flight. You survived trip from shrine to Gibraltar base,” Hanzo answered.

“I slept through the most of it.”

“Well, you could do same thing as last time. Or you can watch something on tablets.”

Zoro groaned. This, surely, will be extremely boring voyage. Because he wasn´t feeling tired at all. Or sleepy. Or in mood to take nap.

"Don´t dramatize,” archer laughed.

“I am not…” boy started but was interrupted by pilot’s voice and plane´s movement.

“Lady and gentlemen, welcome to flight Malaga New Delhi, Vishkar Aircraft 55478. I am happy to inform you, that Control tower gave us approve to take off. Please fasten your seat belts as next instructions will be showed and said in few seconds,” Narayan said as his holographic image appeared between seats, so everybody could see it.

As Hanzo whispered, those were instructions that were needed to be told before every flight, no matter how often passenger travels by airplanes. Zoro could understand why. It´s always good to be reminded basic instructions, even if they were all same.

Plane suddenly picked up the speed, and Zoro had to grab armrests in shock. Aircraft was rushing in high speed and then, just like that, it stopped touching the ground. Boy watched how quickly airport disappeared behind them and they continued to rise up, to the clouds.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading this chapter (づ｡◕‿‿◕｡)づ  
> And we are leaving base in Gibraltar. What will awaits Zoro in India? What Symmetra has on/in (you choose) her mind? Nobody knows. Not even me. TBC!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year!!
> 
>  
> 
> Disclaimer in first chapter or previous chapter...

Two hours. Two whole hours they were in the air. And for Zoro, it felt like two years. He tried napping. Couldn´t last a minute. He tried meditating. His nerves refused to calm down. He tried watching some videos. He couldn´t find anything that would interest him long enough. Normally, on Sunny, he had never problem with long trips. Heck, traveling by ship was ten times longer than by plane. But maybe, just maybe, he was missing the ever-present chaos, that reigned on the ship. Luffy along with Usopp and Chopper were always playing some type of game, making so much noise, that it was miracle, that he could even nap or sleep like that. Brook playing on his instrument. Ero-cook´s fawning over witch and archaeologist.  
Here, in the aircraft, was reigning silence and order. Everybody else had something to do. Zenyatta was meditating, taking whole couch like seat. Not that anyone protested. Satya was looking at something in her tablet while writing something down. And Hanzo appeared to be sleeping. He had those weird stubs in his ears. _´Headphones,´_ he remembered.  
Boy couldn´t help, but observe archer in front of him. Man was sitting cross-legged, his left ankle placed over his right knee. Left arm, relaxed, laid on armrest, while his right arm was supporting his head. More precisely, his knuckles supported his chin. Eyes were closed, face expression was relaxed. It looked like Hanzo became younger in a second.  
“Are you bored?” observed man asked.  
Zoro jumped in his seat, suddenly looking like deer caught in headlight.  
“Wha…?”  
“I asked if you are bored?” Hanzo asked, while pulling headphones from his ears.  
“…A little,” boy admitted.  
He didn´t know why, but every time archer asked him question or offered some favour, okay only two times he was offered a favour, he had hard time to decline.  
“Did you tried listen to music? Or watch movie?”  
“I tried watch some videos, but they weren´t that interesting.”  
“Only videos? No, no, no. For flights, you must watch something, what´s length is more than one hour. Movies. Movies are the best choice,” Hanzo stood up from his seat, then sat down next to Zoro. “Here, let me help you with the search.”  
“Mr Shimada is uncharacteristically in good mood today. Maybe presence of Zoro is calming him,” boy could hear the quiet statement from Zenyatta as he was discussing something with Satya.  
“You are absolutely right,” lady architect agreed.  
Hanzo either heard it and choose not to react to it, or missed it completely. Zoro looked at tablet in archer´s hands. There were small pictures and text next to them. ´Pirates of the Caribbean?´ boy noticed.  
“What is this…movie…about?” he asked as he pointed at the picture of pirate.  
“Pirates of the Caribbean? That is old movie series. As its title says, it´s about pirates. Are you interested enough to watch it?”  
“I don´t know…Hmm…Okay,” boy nodded.  
Hanzo gave Zoro another set of headphones and clicked on icon. The screen of tablet went black with white triangle in middle of it. Hanzo pressed it and from headphones music started to play announcing the start of the movie.

 

* * *

 

After two hours and twenty-three minutes, movie about pirates was over. It was good, funny, Zoro would say. Main character, Captain Jack Sparrow, was good. Very good. His actor was clearly very experienced. The romance in the movie was, in Zoro´s eyes, unimportant, not needed. The fights were good, passable, but he would spend less time talking to finish the fight sooner.  
“Is this how pirates are here?”  
“How could they have been in the past. The timeline of the movie is set in eighteenth century,” Hanzo explained.  
“And this movie is from which year? Maybe they could have had real reference in front of them…”  
Satya giggled a bit. “Oh, Zoro. This movie was filmed in beginning of twenty-first century, in year 2003. Three centuries after Era of pirates. But there are preserved documents, that are mentioning and even depicting people from history. Without history, world wouldn´t move forward.”  
“Oh…And now? What century it is?”  
“We are still in twenty-first century. To be exact, in year 2076,” Hanzo said.  
“Your world is sure progressing…” Zoro mumbled as he fell into silence. “Can we watch something else?”  
“Not before you eat something. We have been here for four hours and you didn´t eat or drink anything,” archer said. “I wasn´t sure, if here will be anything consumable, so I prepared lunch.”  
“But don´t you say, Mr Shimada. You can cook?” Satya innocently teased.  
“Uhm…Well…Yes, I can.”  
“Did you prepare the traditional Japanese bento?”  
Hanzo didn’t answer. As he stood up, he refused to look at Ms Vaswani. He went to their baggage.  
“You did, didn´t you?”  
And as answer, Hanzo took out stack of black boxes, tied with red ribbon.  
“You know, you could ask. And what name would Vishkar Corporation have, if they didn´t provide food and drinks on their planes.”  
“…I didn’t want to bother you. You had enough troubles to register me along with you, so I didn´t want to sound ungrateful.”  
“Oh, Mr Shimada. You and your character,” Satya shook her head as she softly smiled.  
Hanzo returned back to seat next to Zoro, along with all bento boxes.  
“What are your meal preferences?” he asked.  
“I am alright with anything. Really.”  
With no more words, archer handed him one of the bento boxes. When swordsman opened it, there was simple white rice with pale orange umeboshi and few sesame seeds on top of it. On the side, there was pieces of grilled fish, along with mix of steamed vegetable. Simple.  
Hanzo´s bento looked similar. Only difference was, that vegetable part only consisted from steamed broccoli. Archer offered Satya one, but she politely declined before going in the back of the plane, returning with plate full of yellow squares, topped with green leaves and grains and accompanies by green sauce. It looked very interesting.  
**“Itadakimasu,”** both Zoro and Hanzo said in same time.  
**“Kripyā bhojan kā ānnaṅd lijīya,“** said Satya.  
**“Ramrari khanu hola,”** said Zenyatta.

 

* * *

 

After the meal, Zoro was ready to watch another movie. Hanzo laughed at boy´s impatience. He pulled out the tablet, opening same page with little pictures of movie posters.  
“Do you want to see another movie from pirate series?”  
“No,” Zoro replied little too quickly. “Something with more action. And with actually good fighting scenes. And where is not much of romance? Not stupid lovely dovely.”  
“Hmm. That´s hard request. Each movie has its own magic. And romance is in practically eighty percent of action movies. Hm…Say, do you mind profanities?”  
“No. I use them quite often, when I speak with Ero-cook. Why do you ask?”  
“There is one or three movies, that I think you would like. Two are under same name, one being continuation of other and the third one is alone. All three has few romantic scenes, but I think you wouldn´t mind them.”  
“The names?”  
“Deadpool 1 & 2 and Venom…”  
“You meant those movies? Please, did you see the critic opinions on Venom?” Satya pipped in.  
“I did and I disagree with them. I think Venom was excellent movie. Right amount of creepy and disturbing. Right amount of humour and right amount of action.”  
“Go figure. Japanese people like their creepy and disturbing.”  
“What can I say. Even Americans had to remake our movies to suit their levels of creepy and disturbing. With unnecessary jump scares.”  
“You got me interested in Deadpool. It sounds interesting. And we can watch Venom after,” Zoro said.  
“Okay. Prepare to doses of dark humour,” Hanzo said with smirk.  
Next one hour and forty-nine minutes was filled with burst of laugh coming from Zoro. All scenes were so good. There was still lot of talking during fights, but this Deadpool character was always quick to finish them. Main antagonist with ability to not feel anything would be really thought opponent in real life. Hanzo was right, the romantic scenes were not bothering him during the movie. No, they held important role in the story. Parts with humour were always in right spot.  
“So, what do you say?”  
“It was great!” boy called.  
Then they discussed everything about movie. The acting. The music. The story. Every single minute of the movie. Their discussion went for thirty minutes. It was not stopped by Satya. Not by Zenyatta. Not even by Hanzo. No. It was Zoro, who stopped conversation. Why? He simply fell asleep. During the time period of their movie review, boy was getting more tired. His body sluggish. His speech slowed down. He alone didn´t noticed it. But others did. And they let it happen. Because boy needed rest. They watched as swordsman slowly, but surely, fell into slumber. His body relaxed, face too. Young pirate looked finally his age. While Hanzo packed tabled back into the backpack, Zenyatta went towards Zoro and covered him with it.  
“He looks quite peaceful when he is asleep, don´t you agree?” Hanzo quietly asked.  
“Yes, you are right. His face softened. The scowl he permanently wears on his face is at least absent when he sleeps,” Zenyatta noted.  
“Let him sleep. The operation is set tomorrow morning at eight. He needs this rest,” Satya said, not even looking from her note tablet.

 

* * *

 

 Zoro slept through rest of the flight. He woke up when he was placed back in his wheelchair, but then quickly fell back to slumber. When the group met with awaiting Vishkar employee, who panicked a little at Zoro´s lolling head, boy was gently shook back to consciousness by Zenyatta. So, nobody would panic. He sleepily looked around, noticing new surroundings. Everything was pristine, looking new. Glowing transparent screens were showing text and pictures. It was evening, but city was glowing. Their guide guided them to the levitating vehicle, which would take them somewhere, maybe to hospital. Or hotel. Or some other facility. Only thing, that was said to Zoro, that the operation will be held in the morning. And that he should go sleep. He protested, that he slept for five hours straight, but strangely, he was still feeling tired.  
Next morning, at six o´clock, the group was led into hospital. Once there, doctors in coats signed with logo of Vishkar Corporation greeted them. They immediately led the group into secluded wing, taking control of Zoro´s wheelchair, to boy´s displeasure, taking him to dressing room. When boy returned, he was clothed in light blue hospital gown. It looked baggy on his slim and fit physique. They examined him. made him do some test. Scanned him…as they explained. They also took his blood. And after all this, they stuck a needle with transparent tube full of some kind of liquid in his vein, taping it on back of the hand. His cuts were clear to display. Doctors examined them, praising Zenyatta´s healing abilities, while making lines with red marker. After all of this, they returned to Satya, Hanzo and Zenyatta.  
“Mr Shimada, Tekhartha, it would be best, if you stayed here, in lobby. Ms Vaswani will come with us. We looked at the prosthetics you made for boy. They are marvellous. Nothing less expected from you,” one of doctors said.  
“Of course.”  
They left the lobby, doctors leading Zoro and Satya towards operation room. Doctors talked with Satya about the prosthetics, asking about some details and other things Zoro did not understand. Once there, they laid Zoro on operation table, inserting injection into his infusion tube.  
“What was that?” he asked as he watched Satya shook hands with doctor and exiting room.  
“Just mood injection. It´ll make you calm and you won’t feel any stress,” lady doctor said. “You will be in anesthetizes during operation. You will be asleep,” she added when she noticed boy´s confused stare.  
“Ah…okay,” boy said as he started feeling effects.  
His body calmed, his muscles softened. He started blinking. Firstly quickly, as if he wanted to shoo sleepiness away, then it slowed down. Same lady doctor put respiration mask on his face. This mask was connected to some king of bottle, on which she opened the vent. Zoro took deep breath. He exhaled. Inhale. He looked at doctor above his face. Exhale. She was holding his hand, he noticed. Inhale. She was watching him, encouraging smile on her lips. Exhale. Lights above them turned on. Inhale. Everything was blurry. Bright and blurry. Exhale. He slowly closed his eyes. Inhale. All sounds disappeared. Exhale. He fell unconscious. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale…

“…”

“…?”

“Zoro?”

“Zoro? Are you with us?”  
**“…hn…”**  
“The anaesthetic is wearing down.”  
**“Hnm…What?”**  
“Oh, he doesn´t have translator. Return it to him.”  
There was feeling around his neck and something was inserted into his ear. His eyes opened. He was blinded by light. He blinked few times, adjusting to the brightness.  
“There we go. Zoro, are you fully awake?”  
“…Yes. Yes I am.”  
“Very good. Try to sit up. We will catch you if anything happens.”  
Zoro did as told. It was little hard. His body was still relaxed. But he managed.  
“Marvellous. We will now test the prosthetics.”  
Oh. Yes. That was reason why he was artificially put into sleep. He looked towards his legs. And froze. His legs were complete. Sleek and perfect as the day they were presented to him.  
“Alright. We will start with the simplest task. Try to move one of your toes.”  
Zoro looked at his new legs. He thought about the slightest movement of his big toe. And instantly, it moved. Twitched. He quickly repeated task with other toes. All moved as soon as he thought about it.  
“Excellent, Zoro. Excellent,” one of the doctors said. “Now try…”  
He didn´t even finish his sentence, when artificial muscles tensed. And then relaxed. And tensed. Relaxed. Boy  flexed his toes. It was done flawlessly.  
“Boy, I know you are excited…” it was the lady doctor, that held his hand before he fell asleep.  
But Zoro was already making his way from the bed, he didn´t notice he was laid in.  
“Boy!!” all doctors shouted as they feared boy would fall down.  
One of swordsman feet touched the floor. And shock ran through his whole body. He could feel it. He could feel the coolness of the floor. He placed other foot down. He could really feel it. These prosthesis weren´t just artificially created replacements. No. They were carefully crafted, to become part of him. To be his.  
He moved foot against the floor, enjoying the feel of cold laminate. And doctors watched. Watched with eagle eyes, ready to jump in, if anything wrong happens.  
Zoro tried to shift his weight on his legs. And tried to stand up. At first, it was strange. For days, he was sitting. Or laying. Standing was uneasy. It was making him wobble. But he could do this. He took one step. He could feel the pressure. He took another step. And another. Another. Another. Zoro was in middle of the room, doctors taking notes, recording his progress. Boy crouched.  
“Are you feeling alright?” one of the supervising medics asked.  
His answer was jump and soft landing. At sight, that Zoro wanted to repeat the jump, lady doctor stepped in.  
“Zoro, you can´t do this!” she raised her voice a little, scolding boy with her gaze.  
“Why not? I am testing them?”  
“But you are doing it all wrong! You just can´t do these things. The wounds are still very fresh.”  
“How fresh? How long was I asleep?”  
“For one whole day, with small moments of consciousness. The operation took full five hours…”  
“That´s enough time to heal to withstand my type of testing. And they are perfect. I can feel the ground. I can flex these artificial muscles, even though they are not my original.”  
“Do you have higher healing factor? And we are very happy to hear that everything is going well. Ms Vaswani truly outdid herself.”  
“Just one question.”  
“Yes, boy?”  
“How do I activate that “Chameleon effect” Ms Vaswani was talking about. The function that will turn colour of these legs to match colour of my skin?”  
“Like this,” said another doctor as he pushed blue gem looking buttons on his knees.  
He pushed it for few seconds, as blue lines glowed. Then, Zoro´s skin colour started to fade in from knees. Boy was watching, fascinated, as colour spread all way down, to his toes. Blue lines blinked two times before turning off and also faded into same colour as rest of the prosthetics. Swordsman was now looking at normal legs with metallic contraptions around knees and around shins.  
“Marvellous!”, “Fantastic!” and bunch of “Ohhs!” and “Aahs!” were heard in the room.  
“And I will turn it off with same technique?”  
“According to Ms Vaswani, yes. She said that for just turning on the lights, those blue lines, you just push the buttons for second. For activating “Chameleon Effect” you press them for five seconds. To turn effect off, you again press the buttons for five seconds,” was his answer.  
“Thank you.”  
“Now, little unsettling thing. We must show you, how to unfasten them, if anything happens to them. That means, you will need to learn how to take them off.”  
“But…”  
“But nothing. You will need to take care of them and best way to take care of something is to have it in front of yourself. Not bending down to take care of it. I know it is uncomfortable for you. You just get them and we are making you to take them off, but please, understand, that this is what doctors must do. We must give all prosthetics given patients a speech and practical rundown of how to take care of them. Don´t you worry. Sooner we will be done with this, sooner you will be running in gardens.”  
“…Humph…fine,” boy growled, clearly displeased. “Can I get bottle of alcohol after this? Beer would be fine.”  
“Oh, no, no. You are not old enough. You see, there is age restriction when it comes to drinking alcoholic beverages. In papers, that were send in after Ms Vaswani brought you here, was stated that you are nineteen years old. In state of Delhi, in which we currently are, the legal drinking age is twenty-five. That means you are six years short of getting your hands on any kind of alcohol.”  
“Damn it,” came out very loudly.  
“What? From where are you from, don´t you have laws about drinking?”  
“Surely, we do. Each island has it´s own rules. But, if you are fifteen or older, you are free to drink…Of course, if you can hold your liquor.”  
“Oh my. Such dystopia.”  
“Yeah. It is. But even dystopia has its own beauty.”  
“Enough blabbers. Let´s get instruction started,” one old doctor strictly said.  
“Of course, Head Doctor. Right away,” others quickly said.  
_´Kill me now…´_ Zoro though.

 

* * *

 

After gruesome hour of listening to too difficult explanations and learning how to disconnect, detach, clean, reattach and secure his prosthetics, Zoro was finally free. Doctors gave him cane with comment “Just in case”. It was so embarrassing. He wanted to drop it somewhere, but the stern glare of old head doctor told him not even think of it. Something was telling him, that if the doctor caught him without this damned cane, he would be in trouble. This head doctor could even decide to take away his new legs. And he didn´t want even think about that. So, he was stuck with the stick. Great…  
As he was nearing towards lobby, he could hear voices. He instantly recognised Satya, Zenyatta and Hanzo.  
“Hello,” he said as he stepped in the hall.  
“Hello to you too, Zoro,” all three said nearly in same time.  
“I´m happy to see, that operation was successful. Are prosthetics working as they should?” Satya asked, softly smiling.  
“Yes, they are. Thank you very much. I owe you one, Ms Vaswani.”  
“And the cane?” Hanzo asked, concerned.  
“Head doctor man made me have this. And he gave me “You dare to leave it somewhere, you will dearly regret it” type of glare. So, I must carry it with me,” boy sighed.  
“Don´t be angry about it. It´s precaution. If anything happened, like one prosthetic deactivate…I´m not saying it will happen, Ms Vaswani…Cane will create support,” Zenyatta said.  
“…I know…” he grumbled.  
“And don´t worry about doctor Quinn. He wouldn´t take off something he was able to get on,” Satya said. Then she waved with her metallic arm, “He was the one, who attach this arm. And he put it in sling, as precaution.”  
Group lightly laughed. They moved from lobby, towards hospital cantina. Truth to be told, Zoro was starving and he was sure, that he could eat as much as his gluttonous captain. Of course, with manners. He wasn´t manner-less brute, that cook believed he was. He was raised well. His brother raised him well. Excellent. And even his father made him follow table mannerism. He always said, that being cultured, would show his rivals he was the superior one. Educated one. Better one.  
Tray with steaming meal was set before him. It looked delicious. And smelled deliciously too. With approval of others he dug in.

 

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading this chapter (◕‿◕✿)  
> I hope you liked it. If there is anything you would like to ask, I will try my best to answer your question.
> 
> (☞ﾟ∀ﾟ)☞ Little translation box:  
> Itadakimasu  
> Kripyā bhojan kā ānnaṅd lijīya - All three have same meaning - Bon appetit  
> Ramrari khanu hola
> 
> And about those words that are underlined...Those are rough translation from my mother-language into English


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back, dear readers!!! ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ Happy reading!!!
> 
> Disclaimer in chapters 1 and 7.

After delicious meal and one walk in hospital´s gardens, Zoro was fairly tired. When others took notice of his slowing speed, it was unanimously decided, that it was time to bed. With half asleep boy, they returned to the hospital room Zoro was assigned in. It was nice surprise to find another bed has been set up. Along with comfortable looking couch and glass coffee table. On bed, there was clean night clothes, ready to be used. Satya wished good night and left, leaving male part of the group alone. Hanzo and Zenyatta, together, helped Zoro change into pyjamas and put him into bed.  
“Hanzo. The bed is, surely, set up for you. I will meditate on couch,” Omnic said.  
“Oh, no, no. I cannot just leave you on couch. It would be very rude of me, if I did so. Please, I will happily take the couch,” Hanzo quickly refused.  
“Hanzo. I insist. I have no use of the bed. I do not need to sleep. When I feel need to recharge, I meditate. So please, take the bed. Sleeping on couch is not healthy for human body.”  
After few minutes of quiet arguing, Zenyatta won and Hanzo grumpily moved to second bed. Monk made himself comfortable on couch. Ten minutes after, dreams were slowly entering the consciousness and silence took reign in the room.

 

* * *

 

 _Boy was sitting in his room, playing with the teddy bear, with opened children´s book before him._  
_“Look, Kumamura, there is you,” boy said while pointing at single picture of bear in the book. “His name is also Kumamura.”_  
_Child looked young. Very young. About three years old. He had soft green hair, cut short. His eyes were silver, intelligent. Round baby face adorned soft smile ad he hugged his teddy bear and continued reading his book._  
_Room, in which boy was sitting, was enormous. Ceiling was set very high and door were wide and tall enough for a giant. Windows, though narrow, they were tall from floor to the roof. But, in contrary to largeness of chamber, the furniture was fit for boy, who lived there._  
_“Young master!” the door opened “Your parents want to see you.”_  
_In door stood man. His blonde hair was tied in short pigtails. He had horns coming from both sides of his head. His mouth was covered, along with lower half of his face._  
_“Of course, Jack,” boy said and he stood up, teddy bear still in his arms. “Can I go alone, or am I getting ride?”_  
_“You know it very well; your father doesn’t want you to wander on the ship alone. Therefore, hop on,” man, Jack, said, as he lowered his hand._  
_Child, unafraid, sat on the man´s palm, hugging his toy companion, as the man closed door of his room and took him to his parents._

 

_._

 

 _They were on the deck, boy still in Jack´s palm. Around them were men and women, all looking at giant man, as he went towards throne near the helm. There sat even bigger man than Jack. He was enormous. His height was towering over every single being on the ship. His long jet-black hair was flowing in the breeze, his moustache too. He had fierce expression on his face, always frowning. His left arm was covered in red tattoo. Next to him sat fierce woman. In comparison to man, next to who she was sitting, she was very small. She was still taller than most of other occupants of the ship, but only slightly. She had short green hair, save for three braids on her nape. Her eyes were piercing, always cautious. She didn´t have any visible tattoos, but middle of her chest was adorned with huge scar._  
_“Captain! I brought your son!” Jack called as he lowered his palm, so boy could climb down._  
_“Father! Mother! You called for me?” boy asked._  
_“Yes, Zoro. We called for you. Today is day, that marks your third year of living,” his father, giant man with long black hair, said. “You are old enough, to start learning about what I do. As my son, you are my successor. One day, when I perish, you will take mantle of this ship. And as future captain you must learn how to lead the crew. Do you understand?”_  
_“Yes, father. I understand clearly.”_  
_“But before that,” his mother said. “Do you know what we are? What you are? Tell everybody on this ship! Remind them!”_  
_“Yes, mother, I do,” child said. “We are pirates! We are Hyakujū Pirates! And I am son of captain of this pirate crew! Son of Hyakujū no Kaido!“_

 

 _._  
_._  
_._

 

 _“Mother! Mother!” Zoro cried as he watched his maternal parent get penetrated with bullets._  
_He was in his father´s grasp, as man was covering him from everything that could do any harm to small boy. Jack was also there, slaying their enemies, one after another, getting closer to fallen woman. He scooped her corpse and went after his captain._  
_Once on their ship, Kaido gave boy to tall man, clad in black. Boy instantly hugged man, burying his crying face in man´s jacket. Captain of the pirate crew turned towards their enemies. Towards ships, whose white sails adorned blue seagulls and name “MARINE”. His body started to elongate. His face turned to snout, his teeth sharpened. Horns grew out of his head. In the air above Beast Pirates’ ships float Imperial dragon. With mighty roar, he flew towards Marine ships. After few attacks, there was no evidence, there even was any Marine ship._

 

_._

 

 _Kaido returned to his ship. There, tall man, King, was still holding his small son. ´Not even four month after his birthday,´ he thought. As he stepped down on the deck, King was running to him._  
_“Look, Young master. Your father returned. See? Just like I´ve said. There´s no need for more tears,” man whispered._  
_Boy peaked over the shoulder, and after seeing his father, alive, he reached out for him. Kaido silently took his boy into hands. He was so small in his palm, but it didn´t stop captain from bringing his child to his face. He silently cradled his boy, without any words, yet boy understood. Father was here. He wasn´t going anywhere._

 

 _._  
_._  
_._

 

 _“Father? Are you still considering me your successor?” four-year-old Zoro asked._  
_“Of course, my boy. Who else could be better than you?”_  
_“…somebody who is not Omega…somebody, who wouldn´t bring shame to your name,” boy mumbled._  
_“What was is, son?” captain asked, hearing, what his child said, clearly._  
_“Somebody not like me. Not male Omega. Not disgusting thing. Not mistake. Why are you even keeping me instead of throwing me into bro…” Zoro didn´t even finished his sentence, when finger slapped him._  
_“DON’T YOU DARE FINISH THAT SENTENCE!!!” Kaido bellowed. “DON’T DEGRADE YOURSELF TO SOMETHING YOU ARE NOT!!! YOU MAY BE AN OMEGA, BUT YOU ARE NOT WHAT WORLD GOVERNMENT CALL YOUR KIND!!! YOU ARE NOT THING!!! YOU ARE NOT MISTAKE!!! YOU ARE MY SON!!! MY HEIR!!!”_  
_“But, father…”_  
_“No buts! Listen, Zoro. I know, that world and mainly those noble pricks are against male Omegas, judge them sooner than getting to know them. But you should not bow your head to these statements. You should be proud of what you are.”_  
_“But people won´t listen nor respect me…”_  
_“Respect is earned. People listen and respect me, because they fear me. You must do same. Carry yourself with dignity. Have your head raised. Make others stay clear of your way. Never bow to somebody who didn´t earn your respect. And if you do, never forget your own morals and goals. Their opinions should not overshadow yours,” his father told him._

 

 _._  
_._  
_._

 

 _“Young master, your father has called you on the deck,” Jack said._  
_“Of course,” five-year-old boy nodded as he stood up. “Lead the way.”_  
_While walking towards the deck of the ship, Zoro could hear whispers of newer and lesser crew members._  
_“Do you see that brat?”_  
_“Who does he think he is? Walking next to the “Calamity”?”_  
_“Do you smell it? He´s Omega!”_  
_“No way! That thrash is allowed outside?!”_  
_“I would have it locked in cell. Not allowing it to wander through the ship.”_  
_“Captain must be insane to have that…thing…here.”_  
_“Such posture. It must thing, it is superior or what.”_  
_““The Calamity” is taking it to captain. This should be good. Maybe Kaido will throw it into the ocean.”_  
_Zoro could see in corner of his eye, that Jack was getting ready to say something to those bastards. But boy stopped him by yanking his fur cloak. Jack did mentally growled. ´These new bastards…They should know who they are talking about. I look forward to see their terrified faces, when they discover that Young master is their Captain´s son,´ he thought._  
_They got on the deck. Along with rude crew members. Kaido was sitting on his throne, sipping sake, waiting. When he saw duo, he stood up._  
_“This should be good,” both Zoro and Jack heard behind them._  
_“Jack. Thank you for bringing Zoro here,” he said, sounding strangely happy. “I will take it from here.”_  
_“Of course, Captain,” Jack nodded as he stationed himself next to Queen._  
_Kaido turned towards young boy._  
_“Zoro, how are you doing?” he asked._  
_“Why is captain so friendly with it?”_  
_“I am doing fine. Thank you for asking. You seem quite happy this day. Are you doing fine as well?” Zoro answered, while thinking; ´Father becomes so joyous, when he´s drinking sake.´_  
_“How dare it talk back?! What does it think it is?!”_  
_“I have reason to be this happy. Today was great day. We scored a Slaver ship. Survivors asked to join the crew.”_  
_“Indeed, that is prefect reason to be happy. Any interesting people?”_  
_“Oh, few, few. Say, what would you think of, let´s say, companion?”_  
_“What does captain mean by that?!”_  
_“Companion? As in someone who I could talk to?”_  
_“Yes, exactly.”_  
_“It sounds…nice. But, why are you asking?”_  
_“Our newest addition begged me to join Beast Pirates. But there is so much places he would be useful. Then I though, why not give him to you. You would have somebody to talk to, train with, or being with you all the time.”_  
_“…what?! Why?!”_  
_“And this person is alright with idea to be given to a mere child?”_  
_“When I suggested it, he was very happy. So, what do you say, Zoro?”_  
_“If he is alright with it, then I accept…” boy made dramatic pause, “…father.”_  
_“WHAT!?!?” there was shout from behind._  
_“Is there some problem?” Kaido immediately glared at spot from where shout came._  
_“N-Nothing, Captain, sir.”_  
_“I thought so,” giant man growled before turning towards his throne. “Come, introduce yourself.”_  
_From behind of the throne, came male figure. From waist up, he was fair skinned, with shaved head. His ears were long and pointy. His eyes were golden, wide with curiosity. On his forehead were burned five dots, forming a “+” sign. From waist down, there laid long black and white coloured tail. Merman. Around his abdomen was placed bubble tub, which allowed man to move. He stood next to Kaido._  
_“This is my son. From this moment, you must to accompany him everywhere,” captain said._  
_“Of course, sir,” merman said before turning towards young boy. “I´m very pleased to meet you, Young master. My name is Sora. I promise to take care of you.”_  
_“Likewise.”_

 

 _._  
_._  
_._

 

 _“I´m telling you! It would be best, if we throw that thing away!”_  
_“I don´t know, man. It´s Kaido´s child…”_  
_“I bet our captain must be tired of having take care of such disgusting thing. He would surely reward us, if we get rid of it!”_  
_“Are you sure?”_  
_“One hundred percent sure!”_  
_Zoro glared at wall before him. Grid his teeth. He stood behind the corner, few metres from scheming group. They were planning something. Something he didn´t like. Something, his father wouldn´t be pleased with. But this is what he was warned before. Prejudges. Discrimination. Hate._  
_´Let them have their fun. It will bite them later,´ he though as he retuned to his room, where Sora awaited him._

 

 _._  
_._  
_._

 

 _Boy sat at Kaido´s knee, smirking. Sora stood right next to the throne along with All-Stars. Before them were few crewmembers, that Zoro identified as the ones, who were scheming his disappearance, abduction. They tried. And failed spectacularly. They tried to lure him out from his chamber, stun him, tie him to the small raft and them send him towards unknown on the raft without water nor food. Of course, Sora stopped their first step and immobilized everyone in the group._  
_“HOW DARE YOU EVEN THINK OF LAYING FINGER ON MY SON!!” Kaido bellowed._  
_“We wanted to help!”_  
_“HELP WITH WHAT EXACTLY??!!”_  
_“With your Omega problem! I bet you hate having male Omega as your offspring! Therefore, we wanted only to help!”_  
_“KILL…”_  
_“No, father. Don´t kill them,” Zoro said with neutral face._  
_“What do you want to do, son?”_  
_“I would like to make sentence for their actions. If I will once take your place, I must learn how to do it. Therefore, let me have this one.”_  
_“…Alright,” Kaido agreed in the end._  
_“I propose to put them on small raft. Without any food nor drink. And send the raft to……Calm belt.”_

 

* * *

 

Zoro woke up early in the morning, clock showed five o´clock. He vividly remembered his dream-memories. His past. His childhood. Well, part of it. As always. Trough the dreams, he relived important moments of his youth. And Zenyatta´s meditations, his dream showed them more clearly. More sharply.  
“I see you are awake,” Omnic´s voice rang through the room.  
“Yes, I am,” Zoro said as he pulled himself up.  
He saw Zenyatta sitting on sofa. Then, he heard groan, coming from his left. He turned and saw sleeping Hanzo. Man was tightly curled up, blanket covering only his shins and feet. He was turned away from the boy, showing him his back. Which was bare. And swordsman had beautiful view on it. His attention shifted to Shimada´s left shoulder. Because man always wore long sleeved shirts or jackets, he could never notice it. There, on the shoulder, was light coloured scar. Like something was burned there. The form of the burn was familiar. ´That´s Shimada clan emblem!´ Zoro thought.  
“I see you noticed the mark,” Zenyatta suddenly said.  
Boy nodded.  
“Genji told me, that every high-up members of clan were branded with such symbol. Though, he said while others had smaller and made by ink, clan leader had the mark bigger and burned into the flesh. He said, that there was some kind of ceremony, when Hanzo took their father´s place.”  
“That is understandable. My father wanted that for me too, when I reach the point of taking over him.”  
“Truly?”  
Zoro nodded.  
“Interesting,” monk said. “Say, Zoro, would you like join me in morning meditation?”  
“Of course,” boy said, as he climbed down from the bed and sat next to Zenyatta.

 

* * *

 

Around half past seven, nurse and doctor came in. They made check-up, if everything was going all right with prosthetics and if Zoro didn´t suddenly develop some negative reactions towards artificial limbs. When everything looked okay, they left the room. Group decided, that it was ideal time to get something to eat. So, they left the room as well.  
Once in cafeteria, with food before them, Zoro asked the very question, he had in his head since he picked Satya´s prosthetic model.  
“Do you have any hint or any idea of what Ms Vaswani had prepared for me? What favour will she want me to do?”  
“I´m sorry, Zoro. I have no idea,” said monk apologetically.  
Hanzo just shook his head.  
“Then, it can be anything.”  
Speaking of the devil, Satya came in.  
“We about the wolf, and wolf behind the door,” Hanzo said.  
“Such nice saying, Mr Shimada. Where did you hear it?” she smirked.  
“On my travels through the Europe, Ms Vaswani. On my travels.”  
“Interesting. Maybe I will go traveling one day. Now, about the favour I have for you. I want you, to become my apprentice for one year.”  
“What?!”  
“Yes. Starting tomorrow morning…” she wanted to continue, but was interrupted by Zoro´s panicked voice.  
“Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. What do you mean by ´becoming your apprentice´?!”  
“It means what it means. I´ve heard your problem. You were given order by your captain to meet again in two years. Therefore, I decided, that I will take you for one year, as my apprentice. You won´t return uneducated.”  
“Uneducated? I sure can write and read, thank you very much.”  
“I don´t doubt that, but other than that, you are lacking. You never went to school, am I right?”  
“I was in the Dojo. Instructors taught us some things…”  
“But it was mainly focused on training with swords, right?” Satya asked and Zoro silently nodded.  
“Well, it´s decided. Today, you all will move to my house…”  
“Ano…Ms Vaswani…By ´you all´, you mean all three of us?” Hanzo uncertainly asked.  
“Of course, all three of you.”  
“But wouldn´t I make a distraction for boy?” archer asked again.  
“Oh no, you won´t. I already made timetable for him. There are days, when he will must train his mind and body. And that´s where you two come in. Mr Zenyatta, you already introduced him to meditation and everything around it. Therefore, mental training would be your job. And Mr Shimada, you are former assassin, now mercenary. You are the best at physical training, and so, you will be helping him with that,” Satya explained.  
All three males were quiet. Shocked, they were looking at woman.  
“Ms Vaswani…You…thought about all of this…without even asking us if we would do it?” Zenyatta slowly asked.  
“Well, yes. Yes, I did. It was clear, that you wanted to stay with Zoro. I will understand, if you wouldn´t want to…”  
“I will do it,” both archer and monk said together.  
“You would?”  
“Well, I wanted to take him back to monastery. We all are interested in his spiritual connection with the Iris,” Zenyatta said sheepishly.  
“There are…some reasons…” Hanzo mumbled.  
Satya just smiled. Everything was going smoothly. There was fifty percent chance, that one of them would disagree, but all turned out alright.

 

* * *

 

True to Satya´s words, when the group returned to Zoro´s hospital room, they found out, that all their possessions were packed and prepared to move.  
“It seems like you had everything planned before you even told us,” Hanzo said.  
“Maybe yes. Maybe no.”  
“You sly fox.”  
Satya laughed. Actually laughed. Before, Zoro only heard her chuckle. Not laugh. It sounded nice. Very nice, in fact. ´But best laugh belongs to Luffy. His “Shishishishi”…Now that I think about it, Chopper, Luffy, Usopp and Brook has their significant sound of laughing. Brook´s “Yohohoho” for example. How is it, that it comes so naturally to him? To tell the truth, lot of people that we have met on our adventures had their own sound of laughing. Here, people laugh nearly same. Why?´ he tough.  
Zoro was so deep in his thoughts, that he didn´t notice change of his surroundings. When he finally “woke up”, he was disoriented.  
“What? Where?” he questioned as he, confused, looked around.  
Before them stood tall building with green patches here and there. Building was pristine white, not a single spec of the dirt on it.  
“You were lost in your thoughts that you didn´t noticed that we moved,” Zenyatta said calmly.  
“Yes. Mr Shimada was leading you by holding your arm. Few times you were about to wander off. Fortunately, our dear archer stopped you before you even did three steps,” Satya said.  
“Oh?”  
With that their conversation ceased and the group went inside. There, they were greeted by Omnic behind the reception desk. After polite exchange of greetings, Satya led the group to the elevators. Once inside, Zoro couldn´t help, but look around. He had never seen such thing. Thing that was able to reach the top of the building in such small amount of time. Back in his world, he would be forced to climb the hundreds of stairs. But here? Here, it was work of self-lifting platform. Such creation.  
The elevator stopped and announced their floor. Before them stood tall doorway. It was made from pristine white wood, it´s frame was from stainless steel. Door was adorned with mandala made out of milky glass, tinted light blue. Satya made movement with her hand in front of the place, where keyhole normally would be. There was a joyful jingle and door opened themselves. Another thing Zoro was not used to. Things were doing things by themselves. Like doors opening themselves without human push. Stairs that moved. He saw them on the airport, while the group was guided towards “gate”.  
“Welcome to my home,” Satya announced as she made room for three males in the group.  
“Pardon our intrusion,” Hanzo said almost immediately.  
They stepped into the hall and looked around. Everything was clean. Everything was in order. Everything had it´s place. Zoro instantly noticed, that everything was in cold neutral colours. White, grey, blue and black. There were also sculptures and see through pictures, similar as those on the airport. Furniture was geometrical, changing between shapes with sharp angles with oval ones. In front of the door, there were glass stairs. They divided conjoined kitchen and dining room from living room.  
“Ms Vaswani, are you sure, that this is alright with you? We wouldn´t want to disrupt your balance…” Hanzo said.  
“Oh, nonsense. It was me, who insisted this. It would be extremely rude of me, to ask you to pay some hotel when I have free space in my own home. Speaking of that, upstairs, there are three rooms. One of them is my, door is marked with blue mandala. Room without the door is the study. And the third room is quest room. There is one big double bed, but it can be separated into two parts. There´s also sofa, that can be turned into the bed. You can go deposit your bags there, then we can look at the timetable I created for our outworld visitor.”

 

* * *

  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was though one. I didn't know how or where to end it. But, somehow, I did it and I hope you liked it. And if you didn't like it, please write a comment, so I could improve story for better in next chapter.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Greetings, dear readers!!! Welcome back (◕‿◕✿)  
> I hope you have nice day. If not, here, (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧, magic dust to cheer you up!!!
> 
>  
> 
> (Disclaimer in chapters 1 and 7)

True to Satya´s words, Zoro started his “apprenticeship” right next morning. When he woke up, he found clean clothes on the bed. Little confused, he took them.  
“Ms Vaswani brought them here?” he asked as he was putting them on.  
“Yes. She also left the note. She wants you to meet her in the kitchen at eight. Sharp,” Zenyatta answered.  
Zoro looked at small clock, lying on the night stand. Bright blue numbers were showing “7:00”. He looked around the room. Only people that were in the room were Zenyatta and himself. Archer was absent.  
“Where did Hanzo go?” boy asked.  
“He woke up at six. Couldn´t sleep, he said. He left the room and didn´t yet returned. But by soft rattle, that my sound receptors caught, he is in the kitchen.”  
“Oh.”  
Awkward silence filled the room. This silence was different from that of the usual morning silence he was used for past week or so. The quietness of the room was overwhelming. It was like calm before the storm. Something was going to happen. Something bad. He could feel it.  
To distract himself from negative thoughts, he decided to put on the clothes Ms Vaswani prepared. Outfit consisted from simple white pants, which looked like they were made from a durable material, simple dark blue sandals, and peculiar looking shirt. It looked like it was made from two parts, one white and other dark blue. The part made of dark blue textile was bordered with goldish line. White clips were binding two parts together on left side, while on the right side, the blue cloth was sewn to the white shirt. Grey high collar was another strange gig on the shirt.  
Zoro gave up with examination of the shirt. It was useless. He didn´t even know why he did bother. Soon after, boy was looking at himself in mirror. He felt stupid. Very stupid. It was long time ago, when he wore a uniform. _´At Dojo,´_ he remembered. But even there, he stopped wearing it. After he hit the growth spurt, he started wearing loose pants and t-shirts. They were practical and inexpensive. While there were some frowns from other students, it was understood, that Zoro, an orphan, couldn´t afford to pay for new uniform every year and boy didn´t want Koushirou to spend anything more on him than absolute necessary.

 

* * *

 

Duo, consisting of monk and pirate, descended down, into the kitchen. And they were greeted by interesting sight. They archer was leaning over something on the stove. Once he heard them, he turned towards them.  
**“Ohayōgozaimasu,“** he said in Japanese.  
**“Ohayōgozaimasu,”, “Śubha – prabhāta,”** both newcomers greeted.  
As they sat down, Hanzo put bowl of steaming food before Zoro. It was filled with white rice, with gleaming piece of salmon on it. Meal looked delicious.  
**“Itadakimasu,”** he thanked and started eating. “Do you know where is Ms Vaswani?”  
“I´m sorry. Since I woke up, I didn´t meet her yet. It´s unlikely that she would be sleeping. It´s possible, that she is just making last minute adjustments of your schedule…”  
“And you are exactly right, Mr Shimada.”  
Vishkar architect stood there, with tablet in her hand, emanating questionable aura. It wasn´t malice, but that slight hint of the smile was bearing somewhat gleeful intent.  
“Should we worry, Ms Vaswani?” Zenyatta asked.  
“Oh, no, not at all,” she said innocently.  
_´Oh no, that tone, I don´t like it. Not at all. It sounds so much like Nico Robin,´_ Zoro though. He knew what that type of voice and it´s meaning. And it was not going to be pleasant. It was going to be anything but pleasant.  
His worries were confirmed, when Satya created holographic image in middle of the kitchen. It was timetable. Very full timetable. Extremely full timetable. From Monday to Sunday, every day, Satya had planned something for him. But luckily for him, timetable was written in Japanese, only language he could read. Save for English words such as; _“Wanted”, “Dead or Alive”, “Marine”_ and few other. He could differentiate some English words, when he heard them, but written ones were harder to decode. Strangely, he didn´t have any problems, when word was written in Katakana. As Hanzo explained this world Japanese to him, Japanese people use Katakana for foreign words, which do not have Japanese translation. For example, _“Bus”_ in Japanese doesn´t have direct translation, so it´s written in Katakana as “バス“, pronounced as _„Basu“_. But then, there was _“Milk”_ that has its Japanese word, which is “牛乳” (“乳” is the milk part), _“Gyuunyuu”_  , which literally means cow´s milk. To confuse foreign people even more, they have katakana version of “Milk”, which is written “ミルク”, pronounced “Miruku”. And here was the problem, should Zoro have “牛乳” or “ミルク” with his cereal? So confusing.  
“Ms Vaswani, I don´t want to be rude, but…Are you crazy?!” Hanzo questioned. “Boy has hardly any free time in this timetable! He needs free time…”  
“I assure you, that he would have a free time…”  
“One hour before the lessons, twenty minutes between lessons, hour and twenty minutes designated for lunch, more lessons and then one hour before going to bed. There is need to cut the timetable down.”  
“But all of this is very important for him! I just can´t bear the idea, he would not have knowledge in something trivial like Mathematics!” Satya said before turning to boy. “Zoro, what do you know about percentage?”  
Young swordsman was quiet for a while. Then, he looked at the ground, clearly embarrassed with himself as he whispered “Next to nothing…”  
“And Mathematics as general?”  
Now, boy said nothing. And his silence confirmed others´ thoughts. Zoro needed some tutoring.  
“Fine. But cut down the Computer Science. I bet that in his world, they do not have computers. Zoro, what is the latest technology you have? Do you have computers?” Hanzo asked.  
“Well…the latest was Cyborg, even better than our Franky. But computers, that´s something you would have waste the time trying to find. Computer, simply, doesn´t exist. Or if it exists, it´s not for public,” boy answered, still little angry at his lack of knowledge of, seemingly, basic information.  
“Okay, I will cross Computer Science out. But Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Biology stay. Technology will be more about basic knowledge and mainly his legs. Literature is optional, but I believe, you will like it,” Satya said in nice voice.  
“I have question, Ms Vaswani,” Zenyatta called, “What is the “Information Gathering” you have put there?”  
“Oh, that? That´s me questioning Zoro about his world. I want to write booklet about his world. To have some kind of idea how to behave if someone else came here as he did,” she explained.  
“That is really clever, Ms Vaswani.”  
“Ano…I noticed, that every afternoon, after three o´clock, I have lessons either with Master Zenyatta or Mr Shimada. That´s where I meditate or train, right?”  
“Exactly, Zoro.”  
Swordsman looked at the timetable. Today was Thursday, meaning, that he started with “Information Gathering”, after that he would have Mathematics, with Physics following it. It was only three lessons, but all three of them had ninety minutes. Between them, he had twenty minutes long breaks, surely to prepare himself for next lesson. After Physics he had hour and twenty minutes for lunch and then training with Hanzo. He was sure, Hanzo´s outrage about timetable was because it was so full. But now, it looked more acceptable. Zoro was still dreading the Scientific lessons composing of Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Technology, he could live with that, thanks to assurance, that it would mainly contain information more about how to manage his prosthetics than how to build a car.  
“Look at the time! It´s time for the first lesson of the day!” Satya joyfully called.  
_´Maybe she like tutoring people,´_ Zoro though as he followed her towards living room.

 

* * *

 

The whole “Information Gathering”, which Zoro shortened to “InGa”, was exactly what Satya said it would be. As they sat down in Living room, Satya took her tablet and pen.  
“Alright. Zoro, I know, this would be sometimes annoying to you, but I will be asking questions about nearly everything. And if something wouldn´t make sense to me, I will be asking mire questions to understand it. Will it be alright with you?” she asked and receiving nod as her answer.  
“Then I start. What do you thing is the most important thing to know about your world?”  
“Hmmm…I think it would be our planet,” Zoro said.  
“Why you think so?”  
“First of all, we have six moons. One of them even has its own moon. So, theoretically, seven. You have only one. Second, because of the number of the moons, I believe our planet is at least two or three times bigger than yours.”  
“And about landmass?”  
“One continent, which we call Red Line. It traverses entire planet from north-east to south west. Then, there is large number of islands. Big, small, medium.”  
“That means, rest of your planet is water.”  
“Yes. Red Line divide sea water into two big oceans, Grand Line divide each ocean into two seas.”  
“Can you draw it for me? I need to see, what do you mean.”  
“Would map suffice?” Zoro asked and at positive nod, he went for the map. Once he returned, the description continued. “This reddish line here is Red Line. This line that is horizontally crossing Red Line is Grand Line, which is the most bizarre zone on the planet. They divide oceans into four seas, North Blue, West Blue, East Blue and South Blue. Here, where these lines are connecting in middle of Red Line, this place is Reverse Mountain, it´s entrance into Grand Line.”  
“Why not going into Grand Line directly, why you must go through Reverse Mountain?”  
“Grand Line is separated from other Blues, that how we call seas, with Calm Belts. They are zones, where the sea is very calm. No wind. Nearly smooth surface of the water. For ships, it´s nearly impossible to cross these zones. Also, it does not help, that these waters are infested with Sea Kings.”  
“Sea Kings?”  
“The enormous water beasts. They could look as any animal you can think of, with fish attributes. But it would be easier to talk about them, when you will ask about animals. Talking about them now, will only confuse you.”  
“You are right. So, your planet is possibly larger than our Earth. It has six moons, from which one has its own moon. There is only one continent, called Red Line. You have two oceans, each divided into two seas, called North, South, East and West Blue. These seas are connecting on Reverse Mountain, which is also entrance to Grand Line. Grand Line is separated from seas with Calm Belts, which are zones of extremely calm weather and no wind. Now, what is Grand Line?”  
“Grand Line is ocean´s current, circling our planet from north-west to south-east. It is very dangerous. And very unpredictable. Thanks to the six moons, the weather there is crazy. While on one island is summer, next island can be found in winter. Each island has it´s own magnetic field. More about that subject, I don´t know, so don´t ask question about that.”  
“I think, I understand.”  
Their conversation continued. As Satya asked more questions, Zoro silently thanked Robin, that she had all those books. Mainly, all those books about the World. Because of the cook, he couldn´t read during the day. So, he did it during his night watches. He often took Chopper´s, not only to let their small furry doctor sleep but also to have more time to read. And boy, he loved it. Also, it wasn´t coincidence, that he had chosen the geography books. He wanted to return home, and to do that, he needed to understand how World works. His dream was to become _The Strongest Swordsman_ , yes, but the return to his father, that was his silent desire. Even though Kaido´s crew didn´t like him, even despised him, his father, his brother/teacher and the Calamities were nice to him. Well, the Calamities and Sora were nice. His father was demanding, harsh, strict, but he always meant the best for him. Man was very protective of him as well. _´What did he do during my absence? Did he drink a lot? Surely. Alcohol was his first choice to wash away the grief. Violence is close second. Grieving over a lost child, even the strongest man´s heart would break down. I just hope, he did not do something stupid,´_ Zoro thought.

 

* * *

 

Minutes dragged on, and InGa finally ended. It was harder than it looked. Zoro himself didn´t know everything about his home world. He didn´t have photographic memory to remember everything that was written in Geography books. Some chapters were more interesting than others. He was dreading the day, when she would ask about Government. He hated the World Government. And therefore, lady architect would get biased answers. Everything about Marines or Celestial Dragons would be biased. Marines, because of his pirate status, and Celestial Dragons, because of…well, their lifestyle…  
“Zoro, we will change the places for Mathematics and Physics,” Satya suddenly said.  
“Why?”  
“I need board and some other tools. Near the reception is conference room. We will go there.”  
“Oh. Ok.”  
“Would you mind, if I join you, Ms Vaswani, Zoro?” Hanzo asked, looking up from book he was reading.  
“Why, no, Mr Shimada. Can I ask you why, though?”  
“…well…How should I say it…I like Mathematics, in general? I would like to refresh my calculating skills…” he looked away, sheepishly.  
“That´s marvellous. Zoro will have two people to explain mathematical operations to him,” Satya beamed.  
“And you, Zenyatta, what will you do?” Zoro asked, little concerned, that they will leave Omnic monk behind.  
“Oh, don´t worry about me. I will go chat with that Omnic down at reception. I´m interested to hear their story.”  
“Just, please, do not convert him to Shambali,” Vishkar architect said.  
“I would never…”

 

When trio got into conference room, Zoro was sat in front of white board, while both Satya and Hanzo sat opposite to him. Ms Vaswani handed him tablet with pen.  
“Before we start anything, Zoro, please, tell me, what do you know about math?”  
“Well, counting, subtracting…But I really don´t need more. I can survive without it, can´t I?” he looked first at Satya, then at Hanzo.  
“Yes, of course, you can. But that alone is not enough. When we asked about percentage, you said you knew next to nothing. Percentage will help you, when you will have problem with money, for example…”  
“Money? Like depts and stuff?!” Zoro called, his attention perking up.  
“Yes, exactly. Are you in debt?”  
“Kind of? One of my crewmates often threaten us with debts.”  
“Threaten you with debts? Is this person really your crewmate? That doesn´t sound like something crewmates do…” Hanzo muttered. “How did you become indebted to this person?”  
“I needed to buy new swords,” Zoro said as his hand subconsciously went where he usually kept his three treasures. “We had battle before and two of my swords broke. And because I use all three of my swords, I was in dire need of getting new ones. We arrived at Lougetown and before we could even get off the ship, Sea Witch stopped us. She said that we won´t be wasting her money, and we use amount of money she thought was appropriate. That meant, she gave me 100 000 Belli. One decent sword cost at least 100 000 Belli! And from there, she started to increasing my debt. When I took 1 000 Belli, she increased my debt by 10 000 Belli. She is insanely greedy. Everything, for her, rotates around money,” He ranted. Then he pulled the best impressions of Nami he could do. “I want you to return full sum with additional 200 000 Belli as thank for my generosity.”  
“You can´t be serious,” both Satya and Hanzo visibly paled.  
“I am not joking.”  
There was moment of silence. Archer looked at architect, as she looked at him. They were silently conversing about something. Then both nodded.  
“Alright, we are splitting Mathematics lessons into two parts. One part will deal with mathematical problems, while the second part will be dedicated towards economics, mainly towards accounting. You must know how to manage your money!” Ms Vaswani stated. “Therefore, now we start with easy exercises. After that, we switch to introduction into basic accounting. Do not worry, after we are done with you, you will be human calculator.”  
That last part made Zoro feel little uneasy. _´What does she meant by that?!´_ he thought.

 

* * *

 

Thankfully, both his tutors were patient with him, as he was somewhat slow. He knew how to calculate, but they showed him different ways, easier to understand and quicker to solve. And he actually liked it. Before, he left counting on others. When he was hunting pirates, so he could eat, he let collectors to count money he should receive. Now, when he thought about it, it was stupid approach from his side. At first, he was sure, they´ve given him the full amount, but after they took notice, that he didn´t check the sum if it´s right, they started to giving him less, then he should have been given. And when his money disappeared quicker and quicker, he blamed it on bars and restaurant for suddenly raising the prices of meals. How utterly stupid of him.  
Physics, on the other hand, were impossible. World had different laws of physics. Earth had its own physical laws. After pointing it out, Hanzo suggested, that they could study by comparing physic laws of two planets. Therefore, Physics changed to InGa. And was shortened, because Zoro said he didn´t know that much about Physics. By half. That meant, he had more time for lunch!  
“Just for today. I will think about something,” Satya popped his excitement bubble.

 

Lunch came and went, and Zoro was enjoying view from kitchen window. View was different. Different from what he usually saw from crow-nest. Here, he saw hovering transports, people walking down the streets. On the ship, he saw sea and islands. This place was very different from every single town he had visited. While Archipelago was called “Paradise”, this city, New Delhi, could take that name easily. Everything here was clean. Architecture was impressive. Modern, yet each building had something traditional mixed in. It was…pretty.  
He asked Satya if every city in India was this pretty. She smiled softly, and answered negatively. She explained what had happened. She told him about Omnic Crisis. About destruction and chaos. After the war, Vishkar Corporation tried to bring order and peace. To some extend it succeeded. It created working opportunities, they helped get people on their feet again. They reconstructed cities, etc. etc.  
It sounded similarly to some stories he heard as Bounty Hunter. How king have beaten a tyrant ruler, that was draining the country and then helped its people. How Marines freed island from cruel Pirates…

 

* * *

  

Zoro didn´t even notice, that he fell asleep. Only indicator that he did was the shake that woke him up. He looked up to see Hanzo.  
“Good morning,” he yawed.  
“It´s already afternoon…”  
“…don´t care…” was the answer as boy prepared himself to go back into the dreamland.  
“Oh no. You´re not going to sleep. Your time-table says “Training with Mr Shimada”. That means me. And that also means now. So, up, up! Let´s get into the working-out clothes! We are going for a jog,” Hanzo announced.  
“…I don´t want to…”  
“Too bad for you.”  
Next few lines were pure gibberish which even his translator didn´t care to translate.  
“You should start to get used to this. My sessions will be not a bed of roses.”  
“Who, with normal head, would like to sleep in bed of roses? Those flowers have thorns…”  
“Don´t ask me. And it´s just saying.”  
“…Whatever…” Zoro said, as he finally stood up and went to change.

 

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again, dear readers. I hope you liked the chapter and your mood is lighter now ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ. This chapter was boring, I know. But do not worry, we are moving forward.  
> If there were gramatical mistakes, I deeply apologize ┬┴┬┴┤(･_├┬┴┬┴ (while hiding behind the wall)
> 
> (☞ﾟ∀ﾟ)☞ Little translation box:  
> "Ohayōgozaimasu” and “Śubha – prabhāta” - both mean Good morning (I hope the latter really means that...)  
> "Itadakimasu" - Thank you for the meal

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading \\(° v °)/


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